At a time when Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is working on Target-16 in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, opposition parties Congress and BJP are keen on taking advantage in constituencies, where TRS fielded inexperienced candidates. As part of this strategy, BJP and Congress are leaving no stone unturned to bag five Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.
TRS’ candidates in five Lok Sabha constituencies – Secunderabad, Mahbubnagar, Malkajgiri, Chevella and Nalgonda are either newcomers or lack political experience. BJP and Congress are working hard on these five MP seats.
TRS has denied ticket to sitting MP Jithender Reddy and fielded a pharma industrialist M Srinivas Reddy in Mahbubnagar. Former Congress minister and senior leader in the district DK Aruna has joined BJP and contesting here as Lok Sabha candidate. Jithender Reddy has also joined BJP. This has created a tough competition for TRS.
Talasani Sai Kiran Yadav, son of TRS minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, is a newcomer and contesting on TRS ticket in Secunderabad. BJP has denied ticket to sitting MP Bandaru Dattatreya and is fielding Kishan Reddy, who lost in Assembly elections from Amberpet. Anjan Kumar Yadav of Congress is also in the fray.
M Rajashekhar Reddy, the son-in-law of C Malla Reddy, former Malkajgiri MP and TRS minister, is entering politics by contesting on TRS ticket in Malkajgiri. Congress working president A Revanth Reddy and BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao are contesting for Malkajgiri MP seat.
TRS candidate G Ranjit Reddy, a poultry industrialist, is new to politics and contesting in Chevella Lok Sabha seat against Konda Vishweshwar Reddy of Congress and B Janardhan Reddy of BJP. Vishweshwar Reddy won from Chevella on TRS ticket in 2014 elections and joined Congress before Assembly elections.
TRS has fielded a new candidate in Nalgona Lok Sabha constituency, while TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and BJP’s G Jithender Kumar are contesting for this MP seat.