Congress banks on sitting MPs in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Considering winnability as the sole criterion, the Congress high command is understood to have decided to field almost all of its sitting MPs in the ensuing elections in Telangana ' except shifting Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy to Mahbubnagar and examining TPCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah's plea to contest from Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency.

Sources said the AICC leadership has finalised the first list of candidates for around 40 Assembly segments on Thursday. It is expected to release the first list either Friday or Saturday.

However, the final list might be delayed for a few more days as Congress managers are still working on seat-sharing formula with the CPI. Besides, the party is still hopeful of a deal with the TRS.

The AICC leadership is learnt to have indicated to the CPI that it is ready to give 10 Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat. But, the CPI is demanding 17 Assembly seats along with the Nalgonda Lok Sabha segment.

The CPI wants to field its general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy from Nalgonda whereas the Congress is persuading it to take Khammam as Nalgonda is being represented by its MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy.

Interestingly, if the Congress high command decides to give the seats being demanded by the CPI, several senior leaders might have to lose their constituencies. For instance, former minister V Sunitha Lakshma Reddy has to leave Narsapur seat in Medak district to the CPI.

Similarly, Rajya Sabha member Palvai Govardhan Reddy is worried as his daughter, who wants to contest from Munugode in Nalgonda district, may have to forego her chance. The seat was won by U Yadagiri Rao of the CPI in 2009 and not surprisingly, the comrades want it again.

According to sources, another reason for the delay in finalising the final list is that several senior leaders want party tickets for their kith and kin. TPCC chief Ponnala wants to contest from Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency by leaving Janagoan Assembly seat to his daughter-in-law Vaishali.

Like Ponnala, TPCC working president N Uttamkumar Reddy wants Kodad seat for his wife Padmavati whereas former deputy chief minister C Damodara Rajanarasimha wants Sangareddy seat for his wife Padmini.

P Sabita Indra Reddy, who represents Maheswaram Assembly constituency, wants Chevella Lok Sabha seat for her son Karthik Reddy whereas D Srinivas who wants to contest from Nizambad rural wants his son Sanjay to be in the fray from Nizambad Urban.

Another senior leader K Jana Reddy wants Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly seat for him and Miryalaguda for his son Raghuvir. However, the AICC leadership is reportedly discouraging the seniors from making their kin contest the polls.

Earlier in the day, Ponnala had a series of meetings with his Delhi bosses in the national capital and finalised the first list.

List of Probables for LS seats

1. Adilabad (ST) Pending

2. Peddapalli (SC) Pending

3. Karimnagar Ponnam Prabhakar

4. Nizamabad Madhu Yaskhi Goud

5. Zahirabad Suresh Kumar Shetkar

6. Medak Vijayashanthi

7. Malkajgiri Sarvey Satyanarayana

8. Secunderabad M Anjan Kumar Yadav

9. Hyderabad MIM (as part of seat-sharing)

10. Chevella Marri Shashidhar Reddy/ P Karthik Reddy

11. Mahabubnagar S Jaipal Reddy

12. Nagarkurnool (SC) A Chandrasekhar

13. Nalgonda G Sukhender Reddy

14. Bhongir Komatireddy Raj Gopal

15. Warangal (SC) Siricilla Rajaiah

16. Mahabubabad (ST) Porika Balram Naik

17. Khammam offered to CPI