There is a long list of aspirants for the lone MLC seat to be elected by elected representatives of local bodies from the district in the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi and probables are waiting for announcement by party leadership with a bated breath.
Some, if not all, are trying through their own channels to be in good books of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao who is the sole authority to select candidate. They are of the opinion that victory of the ruling party candidate could be a cakewalk as the party swept all the nine MLA and two MP constituencies besides Zilla Parishad and three municipal councils out of four.
Major advantage
Though the gap between the strength of TRS and Congress in terms of number of electors in the MLC election was dismal the lacklustre response from leaders in the Opposition party to contest election could be a major advantage for the TRS candidate. As of now, no leader worth the name in Congress is coming forward to be in the fray.
In the ruling party, meanwhile, there are at least half a dozen candidates strongly wanting for the plum political post. Dr. R. Bhoopathi Reddy, former MLA B. Janardhan Goud, S.A. Alim and Tirumal Reddy are in forefront among probables.
Dr. Bhoopathi Reddy, who is a senior orthopaedic surgeon in the town has been in the party ever since it was established but failed to get party ticket to contest from Dichpally Assembly constituency twice.
In 2004 he gave up efforts to accommodate former MP Gaddam (Kesupally) Ganga Reddy. In 2014 in the last minute Bajireddy Govardhan’s candidature was finalised by the party supremo and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Reddy.
Thus, he is confident of getting MLC ticket this time and accordingly there is a talk in favour of his candidature in the party also. He is hopeful that party high command will keep his word as promised before elections. On the other hand, former MLA from Yellareddi constituency B. Janardhan Goud who joined the party from Congress was also promised the MLC ticket before the elections.
S.A. Alim, a minority leader who came from TDP and Tirumal Reddy belonging to Kamareddi who has been in the party since its inception are also asking the ticket. Some others who though are aspiring ticket are not coming out in open.
