Now that the Congress party has won the assembly elections in Telangana, the party high command appears to have decided not to waste time in gearing up the party for the Lok Sabha elections.
During the Political Affairs Committee meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) held at Gandhi Bhavan, chief minister A Revanth Reddy said there were indications that the Lok Sabha elections might be advanced by at least a month.
The chief minister is also leaving for New Delhi in a couple of days to discuss the cabinet expansion and also the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections.
Apparently, the party has shortlisted the names of candidates to contest the LS polls, simultaneously while selecting candidates for the assembly elections.
“Except for a few changes depending on the outcome of the assembly elections, the list of Congress candidates is more or less ready. But it would be announced, not immediately, but a few days before the announcement of election schedule,” sources said.
According to these sources, the party has shortlisted candidates for as many as 12 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.
The probable names are: K Jana Reddy or Patel Ramesh Reddy from Nalgonda, Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao or Renuka Chowdary from Malkajgiri, G Vamsi (son of Chennur MLA G Vivek) from Peddapalli, Potla Nageshwar Rao or Renuka Chowdary from Khammam, Balram Naik or Vijaya Bai from Mahabubabad.
The others include: Siricilla Rajaiah or Addanki Dayakar or Dommata Sambaiah from Warangal, Komatireddy Lakshmi or Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy from Bhongir, Vamsichand Reddy or Seetha Dayakar Reddy from Mahabubnagar.
Firebrand actress-politician Vijayashanti would be fielded from Medak, while Azharuddin or Feroz Khan would enter the fray from Hyderabad. From Secunderabad, former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav or his son Naveen Yadav might be fielded.
From Nizamabad, Dharmapuri Sanja or T Jeevan Reddy are being considered for the LS polls. Similarly, ex-MP Mallu Ravi would contest from Nagarkurnool and from Chevella, the party might field K Lakshma Reddy or Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, who is likely to defect from the BJP.
From Karimnagar, the Congress might field A Praveen Reddy or Rohit Rao and from Adilabad, Naresh Jadhav might be fielded.
It is learnt the party high command doesn’t want to give tickets to those who lost the assembly elections, unless there is no alternative candidate in such constituencies.