(Image source from: Twitter.com/TelanganaCMO)
Loksabha Polls: An Acid Test for Revanth Reddy:- In a surprising twist, Mallu Nandini, the wife of Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, joined the ranks of 34 leaders who submitted their applications for Congress tickets in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Nandini showed interest in the Khammam LS seat, just like former PCC chief V Hanumantha Rao. The party also received multiple applications for various other Lok Sabha seats, including Mahabubabad, Nagarkurnool, Warangal, Bhongir, and Nizamabad. Notable leaders such as Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Akula Lalitha, K Nagesh, and Manda Jagannatham also threw their hats into the ring for party tickets.
With Thursday's applications, the total count reached 41, and the party anticipates a significant surge before the February 3 deadline. However, this influx of applications presents a challenge for Chief Minister and TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy, who must recommend names to the party high command. The upcoming Lok Sabha polls will serve as a crucial test for Revanth, marking his first election since assuming the role of chief minister.
Revanth, as the TPCC chief, has the responsibility of ensuring that the Congress party's Telangana unit performs well and supports a Congress leader in becoming the prime minister. With the upcoming votes in April or May, Revanth has about five months left in his term to accomplish this.
One of Revanth's challenges is managing the aspirations of multiple candidates vying for various Lok Sabha seats. It remains to be seen how he will maintain their satisfaction and unity within the party, especially if some candidates are not given tickets. It is crucial to prevent any potential harm to the Congress candidates' chances from those who are disappointed.
For instance, the Khammam seat is highly desired by several individuals. Alongside Nandini and Hanumantha Rao, senior leader Renuka Chowdary, Prasada Reddy (brother of Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy), and Yugandhar (son of Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao) are also seeking the ticket. Their past comments indicate their interest in the seat. Furthermore, apart from managing candidate aspirations, the party is also faced with the issue of a scarcity of strong contenders in many of the 17 constituencies in Telangana. This poses an additional challenge for Revanth to overcome. Whether the Congress high command provides them with encouragement or not.
