Race hots up for Congress tickets: NRI joins the race for Warangal East ticket

Warangal: With the elections to the Telangana Assembly approaching fast, the fight for securing Congress ticket to contest from Warangal East constituency seems to be intensifying.

Former minister Konda Surekha, Warangal DCC chief Errabelli Swarna and former Warangal in-charge Syed Azmathulla Hussain are already in the race for the ticket. Latest to join them is a non resident Indian, Pradeep Kumar Samala, an entrepreneur and founder of several IT companies who lives in New York. Pradeep Samala who also expanded his business empire to real estate has been associated with community service programmes in US and especially India for the last 25 years.

Pradeep Samala also launched North American Padmashali Association (NAPA), Global Padmashali Association (GPA) and Warangal-based SJP Foundation to serve his community. Pradeep Samala is also instrumental in coordinating support from the IOC for the elections in India. Pradeep Samala is the founder of Mana American Telugu Association (MATA) with a primary goal of serving the needy in the US and India.

He is also involved in organising several medical camps, business seminars, career guidance for students, ‘Sava A Girl’ campaign, besides conducting awareness programmes on ‘Drug and Alcohol Abuse in Youth and Road Safety. He also played a major role in the Statehood Movement by forming the Telangana Development Forum in the US; thereby galvanizing support from the NRIs.

Pradeep Samala is also one of the working presidents of Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) headed by Sam Pitroda. It’s said that Pradeep Samala caught the imagination of Rahul Gandhi during the latter’s visit to an event in New York in June by mobilising a huge gathering. Pradeep Samala also participated in Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy’s Hath Se Haath Jodo Yatra. Pradeep Samala successfully organised Bharat Jodo yatra from Times Square to Mahatma Gandhi in New York gathering a thousand-odd Indian origins.

Speaking to The Hans India, Pradeep Samala said, “Inspired by Rahulji’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, I have decided to take a plunge into active politics. I have vast experience in community service. Given a chance, it would help me do a world of good in serving the people. Commitment and honesty is my forte.” Meanwhile, some senior politicians from Warangal East constituency opined that people need the services of emerging leaders like Pradeep Samala. They also said that the constituency has a large number of Padmashalis to which Pradeep Samala belongs. It’s going to be an added advantage for him. Moreover, Pradeep Samala who has direct connections with Rahul Gandhi seems to be one of the frontrunners for the Warangal East ticket, the leaders said.