TRS senior leaders in race for Khammam MLC seat

Khammam: Soon after the notification for State Legislative Council for Khammam Local Authorities Constituency was released, senior leaders started trials for the seat.

Khammam MLC seat is getting vacant as the term of MLC B Lakshmi Narayana is concluding. Since this seat was allotted to BC community, all BC leaders along with Lakshmi Narayana started lobbying for the post, considering that this seat again will be allotted to BCs.

A TRS senior leader said that the party had given key posts to Kamma community leaders, like Minister, Mayor, Corporation Chairman, in the district. As per reservations, agricultural marketing chairman post was given to ST community and DCCB chairman post was allotted to BC leader. He demanded that since several posts were given to Kamma community leaders, the sitting MLC post must be reserved for BC community leaders.

The name BC leader and granite business owner Vaddiraju Ravichandra (Gayatri Ravi) is going viral on all social media platforms as the MLC candidate. He belongs to Lapu community.

Earlier, Ravi was with Congress and later joined TRS party before 2018 general elections. He contested on TRS ticket for MLA seat of East Warangal constituency. He was defeated in that elections and he continued in the party.

Ravi has good followers in Warangal and Khammam districts and maintained close relations with Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and party working president KT Rama Rao. On the other hand, he has family relations with BC and Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar. Ravi is trying for the ticket.

Meanwhile, former Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao is also in the race for the MLC ticket. Tummala is well known in the district and very close to Chief Minster KCR and worked in his cabinet as Minister for Roads and Buildings.

In 2018 elections, he was defeated by Congress candidate in Palair constituency. Since then, he is busy in farming works and participating in party activities in the district. He is also hoping to get MLC ticket this time. He is hoping that his good relations with senior leaders and experience will help him in getting the ticket, who also belongs to Kamma community.

Former MP Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, who didn't get the MP seat, was busy in his own charity activities and actively participated party programmes. He is very close to party working president KTR and aspiring the MLC ticket.

Another aspirant, Tata Madhu, State party secretary, is also in the MLC race. He participated in student activities and has been serving the party since several years. He is very close to MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and also had good relations with KTR. It should be noted here that not one candidate had filed nominations though nomination process started from November 16, which will conclude on November 23.