Telangana roundup: KCR filed his nomination papers; Congress leaders miffed at first list

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, November 14

Telangana’s caretaker Chief Minister Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) filed his nomination from his constituency Gajwel in Siddipet district on Wednesday.

A devout believer, KCR—as the TRS leader is popularly known—filed his nomination papers after paying obeisance at the famous Konaipalli Venkateswara Swamy temple.
He was accompanied by his nephew, caretaker irrigation minister T. Harish Rao, despite speculations that the two had fallen apart.

KCR has not lost any elections since 1985. He tasted defeat only in 1983, which was his first election.
The 64-year-old, a strong believer in astrology, numerology and vastu, has been elected to the Assembly seven times and to the Lok Sabha twice.

Harish Rao also filed his nomination from Siddipet constituency after participating in the rituals with KCR.

The TRS, which has announced names of 107 candidates so far, is expected to announce names for the remaining 12 of 119 assembly seats on Thursday.

Protests

Congress’s first list has caused a great deal of agitation among leaders who were left out.

While some like former state Congress president Ponnala Lakshmaiah—an aspirant for the Jangaon seat—rushed to Delhi, some others are believed to be contemplating fighting the election as independent candidates.

Senior Telangana Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury is believed to have voiced her resentment at she claimed was “injustice” to a particular group—although she didn’t elaborate—but said she would still work to ensure Congress’s victory.

Telangana working president A Revanth Reddy and Nalgonda MLA and former minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy reportedly did not mince any words in expressing their anger over the decision to give party tickets to leaders with “little mass” support.

Sources close to Revanth said that he was told that at least half a dozen leaders who joined the Congress with him would get tickets, while Telangana Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy had several of his loyalists on the list.

However, on record Reddy has said his only objective was to ensure his arch political nemesis KCR lost.

Congress released its first list with 65 names on Tuesday. 

‘No representation’

Several Backward Class leaders have also accused the Congress-led alliance—comprising, apart from the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and Communist Party of India—of not giving them adequate representation.

Backward Class TDP leader R Krishnaiah, a former lawmaker, has called for a state-wide bandh on November 17 to force political parties into giving them more seats.

Backward Classes form over 50 per cent of the state’s population.

Telangana is scheduled to hold elections on December 7.