Lok Sabha Polls: Fear of turncoats cornering Congress tickets haunts party applicants

Hyderabad: With several turncoats speculated to be getting Congress party tickets and most of them waiting for the right time to jump over to Congress, the aspirants who applied at Gandhi Bhavan have kept their fingers crossed.

By February 3, the last day of applications, a total of 309 aspirants registered their names. Amongst these Mahboobabad (ST) and Warangal (SC) topped with 48 and 42 respectively. While those which received more than 20 are Adilabad (ST), Peddapalli (SC), Nagarkurnool (SC), Bhongir. With only 4 applications Mahbubnagar stood last amongst the Lok Sabha constituencies which received applications.

The process was undertaken following the recent Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) decision to delegate all the powers to party high command over selection of candidates. The aspirants submitted their applications at Gandhi Bhavan along with token amount Rs 50,000 along with application (General Category) and Rs 25,000 for those under SC, ST and Physically Handicapped.

However, the entire exercise and political rhetoric remains under question, given the fact that more than 25 percent of candidates who contested on Congress ticket in the recent Assembly elections were turncoats. While more than 1000 had applied during Assembly polls, the tickets were issued even to non-applicants. Of the 118 candidates, 30 had contested where 20 had won. Interestingly most of these turncoats had joined the party with clear intention of getting tickets, but did not apply.

Tickets were also confirmed at the eleventh hour triggering rebellion and prompting some of them to exit the party. “When turncoats who have not even applied get a ticket, it is kind of discouragement. What about the money spent? When you talk about VedmaBojju and MandulaSameul, the MLAs from poor backgrounds. Those who don’t depend on money power and education should be given a priority,” felt a Bhongir ticket aspirant.

While others argue that the entire process should have been fine tuned and to avoid unwanted applications the application should have been charged at least Rs 5 lakhs. “In this way those with some financial background would have come forward and saved energies,” said another applicant.

With Warangal being SC reserved, former Deputy CM T Rajaiah likely to join Congress speculation is ripe that he will be seeking a ticket from the Parliamentary constituency.

Former Minister Patnam Mahender Reddy is amongst the other leaders who is likely to join Congress to get a ticket from Chevella. Actor-Politician Vijaya Shanti who joined Congress party within days before Assembly elections is vying from Medak even as former MLA T Jagga Reddy is pushing hard for his wife.