Families draw battle lines in Telangana Assembly elections

​Hyderabad: The Telangana State is gearing up for its Assembly elections and the buzzword creating ripples in the State is ‘family packages.’ It is not unheard of for several members from a same family to contest in the elections from different constituencies and the situation in Telangana State is no different. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supremo and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy are not exceptions to this. 

K Chandrashekar Rao’s son and IT Minister K T Rama Rao, close-knit family member and Minister T Harish Rao are contesting the ensuing elections from Sircilla and Siddipet Assembly constituencies respectively. Chandrashekar Rao’s distant relative and TRS candidate and sitting MLA from Korutla K Vidyasagar Rao and sitting legislator from Vemulawada Chennamaneni Ramesh are also given tickets from TRS to contest the elections.

From the Congress, TPCC chief’s wife N Padmavathi Uttam Reddy is contesting from Kodad assembly segment. She was elected MLA in 2014 elections by defeating TDP leader with a margin of 7,000 votes. Congress senior leader Komatireddy Venkat Reddy’s younger brother and MLC K Rajagopal Reddy secured party ticket from Munugodu assembly constituency. It is for the first time that Rajagopal is contesting elections for the post of State legislative member. He won MP from Bhongir in 2009 elections and lost the election in 2014. 

TPCC working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s elder brother and senior most Congress leader Mallu Ravi is given opportunity to fight from the general seat Jadcharla assembly constituency. Ravi served as MP in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh.

TRS senior leader and caretaker Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy’s younger brother and MLC P Narender Reddy was pitted against Congress working president A Revanth Reddy from Kodangal constitutency. KCR paid special attention on Revanth’s constituency and put all out efforts to defeat the arch rival. 

Harish was entrusted to oversee party affairs and poll related issues in Kodangal. In Station Ghanpur constituency, TRS leader and former Deputy Chief Minister T Rajaiah is facing tough fight from his brother-in-law’s wife Indira. In a strategic move, the Congress fielded Indira against Rajaiah to encash women anger against the TRS candidate who is facing sexual harassment allegations in his own segment. 

BLF (Bahujan Left Front) candidate A Krishna is a close relative of Congress candidate Vanama Venkateswara Rao contesting from Kothagudem assembly segment. Congress leader and Gadwal candidate DK Aruna is facing tough fight from her brother’s son and TRS candidate B Krishnamohan Reddy.

A strong rival to Congress candidate from Qutbullahpur K Srisailam Goud is his brother’s son and TRS sitting MLA from Qutbullahpur  K Vivekananda Goud. Aruna’s brother and sitting MLA Ch Rammohan Reddy is contesting from Makthal segment. TDP candidate from Makthal K Dayakar Reddy’s wife Sita Dayakar Reddy is fighting as independent from Devarakadra assembly constituency.