Lok Sabha polls 2019: Congress finalises candidates for 8 out of 17 constituencies in Telangana

HYDERABAD: The Congress on Friday finalized the party candidates from 8 of the total 17

Lok sabha constituencies

in Telangana.


Telangana Congress working president

A Revanth Reddy

will be contesting from Malkajgiri and Ponnam Prabhakar from Karimnagar, and Konda Vishweshwar Reddy who joined Congress days before December-2018 assembly polls will seek re-election from Chevella parliamentary seat which he had won on TRS ticket in 2014.


The

central election committee

of the Congress along with TPCC President N Uttam Kumar Reddy and CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka met in New Delhi on Friday and finalized the first list of candidates for 8 Lok sabha seats. The candidates for remaining 9 parliamentary constituencies are likely to be finalized on Saturday. Sources in AICC said that TPCC President Uttam Kumar Reddy had a “big say” in finalization of the candidates.

The list of 8 candidates finalized include former union minister Balram naik, ex-MP, an ex-minister A Chandrasekhar whose was taken back into Congress after revoking his suspension five days ago, and those who lost recent assembly elections. As TOI had reported earlier, five of the 8 candidates finalized had lost December-2018 Assembly polls.

The party finalized Ramesh Rathod for Adilabad, former union minister Balram Naik from Mahbubabad, ex-minister A Chandrasekhar from Peddapalle, ex-MP Ponnam Prabhakar from Karimnagar, Congress IT cell chief Madan Mohan from Zahirabad and Gali Anil Kumar from Medak.


A Revanth Reddy will be contesting from the biggest Lok sabha constituency Malkajgiri. He was asked by the party leadership to contest the Lok Sabha elections from one the three constituencies of Malkajgiri, Mahbubanagar and Khammam. Finally, it was decided that he should contest from Malkajgiri.


Despite the fact that Revanth was defeated by 9,000 votes by TRS candidate Patnam Narender Reddy from Kodangal in the December-2018 assembly elections in Telangana, the party leadership has asked Revanth to contest Lok Sabha elections.


“Revanth is a winning horse and has the capacity of winning one of the three Lok Sabha constituencies of Malkajgiri, Mahbubnagar and Khammam. His entry into Lok Sabha polls will instill much needed confidence among the Congress party leaders and cadre at the polling booth level. He would have won from Kodangal assembly segment but for the police zulum unleashed by CM KCR by getting Revanth arrested days before polling, then misusing official machinery, partisan attitude of election commission authorities and huge money spent to buy voters and alleged tampering of EVMs,” a senior Congress leader said.


Candidates finalized:
A Revanth Reddy (Malkajgiri)
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (Chevella)
Ramesh Rathod (Adilabad)
A Chandrasekhar (Peddapalle)
Balram Naik (Mahbubabad)
Ponnam Prabhakar (Karimnagar)
Madan Mohan (Zahirabad)
Gali Anil Kumar (Medak)