Congress finalises nominees for MLC bypolls

Hyderabad: Addanki Dayakar, the PCC general secretary, and Balmoor Venkat, the NSUI State president, have all geared up for filing nominations for the upcoming MLC by-polls under the MLA quota, following party high command clearing their names.

According to party sources, after thorough scrutiny of names provided to the high command by the PCC it has finalised the names of the two leaders, who are considered to be close aides of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. In his latest visit Reddy, who also remains at the helm of the party affairs in the State. had detailed discussions with Rahul Gandhi, AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary (org) K C Venugopal on the issue. On Tuesday the two leaders received phone calls from the party leadership. They were asked to prepare nominations for filing before January 18, the last date.

The two seats fell vacant after BRS leaders Kadiyam Srihari and Padi Kaushik Reddy resigned as MLCs on December 9, following their win as MLAs in the Assembly polls. Dayakar is a SC leader who has remained one of the most vocal supporters of Revanth Reddy when his rivals within the party spoke against him ever since he took charge as PCC chief. Dayakar who contested from the Thungathurthy constituency on Congress ticket twice in 2014 and 2018 had lost with just a few hundred votes to G Kishore of BRS. This time the party has given ticket to Mandula Samuel, who won from the constituency, while denying him.

Venkat, a Velama and doctor is considered to be a leader representing NSUI. He remained instrumental in holding protests across the State, particularly the State capital and running a fierce campaign against the TSPSC following the paper leak issue both on ground and at courts. Venkat had earlier contested a losing battle in Huzurabad by-poll in 2021 against former minister Eatala Rajender of BJP, following instructions from party leadership. His name was proposed for the MLA ticket but was denied. Both leaders come under the category of partymen ‘sacrificing’ their tickets for party’s greater good.

Meanwhile, the party is likely to name the MLC candidates under the Governor’s quota--Prof M Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan, news editor, Siasat.

He is the son of chief editor of the daily Zahed Ali Khan. The latter had contested against AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for the Hyderabad LS seat on TDP ticket in 2009 and secured close to two lakh votes.