LS polls: AICC’s Venugopal to visit Hyderabad for talks on finalising three candidates

Hyderabad: AICC general secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal is arriving in Hyderabad later in the day for talks with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other top party leaders to finalise candidates for remaining three Lok Sabha seats.

Venugopal will hold a meeting with the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi and other key leaders on Sunday evening.

He will also meet AICC secretaries, in-charges of Lok Sabha constituencies and party candidates whose names have already been announced.

The Congress has already declared candidates for 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Announcement of candidates for Khammam, Karimnagar and Hyderabad constituencies has been delayed due to various reasons including multiple contenders, especially in Khammam and Karimnagar.

For Khammam, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s wife Nandini is also an aspirant. Since Vikramarka’s brother Mallu Ravi has already been declared party candidate from Nagarkurnool constituency, the leadership is in a dilemma on giving ticket to another member of his family. State minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s brother Prasad Reddy is also an aspirant of the party ticket from Khammam.

There are many other aspirants including Raghurami Reddy and Mandava Venkateshwar Rao for the Khammam seat. There is a similar situation in Karimnagar, where BJP general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar is seeking re-election.

Revanth Reddy, Vikramarka and Deepa Dasmunshi on Saturday held talks about finalisation of candidates for the three candidates. The state election commission is already reported to have shortlisted the candidates for the seats and a final decision is likely after Sunday’s meeting with Venugopal.

The AICC general secretary is also likely to discuss with state leaders the strategy for May 13 elections and the joining by leaders of other political parties. The central leader is expected to give directions to state leadership on the issues to be taken up during campaigning and explain to people the promises made by the party in its national manifesto.

Venugopal in consultation with the state leaders will also decide dates and venues of the public meetings to be addressed by top leaders of the party. The party is reportedly planning 50 public meetings across the state.

Lok Sabha polls in Telangana will be held on May 13.