Parties brace up for MLC polls

Ranga Reddy: Even as Election Commission (EC) is yet to announce dates for MLC poll notification for graduates constituency, the political parties have started their home work already. With the term of sitting MLC for the graduates constituency of Mahbubnagar-Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy coming to an end in March, the election notification for the constituency is expected to be released soon.

While the ruling TRS and BJP have already commenced work and busy consolidating forces in their favour, the Congress too is trying to make its presence felt.

Though none of the political parties has officially announced its candidate, the lone sitting BJP MLC N Ramchander Rao representing the constituency is likely to contest again from BJP. Rao has already started working on strategies and has been holding preparatory meetings with party cadre for the last few weeks. Rao is pinning his hopes highly on the party cadre and the voters of Hyderabad, following the party's good show in the recent GHMC and Dubbaka elections. The BJP leadership is confident of gaining votes with a good margin. According to sources, the party leadership is also planning to rope in a few senior national leaders for campaign.

While the TRS is yet to finalise its candidate, it has received several representations from party leaders seeking ticket. Among the aspirants, TRS Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency in-charge Marri Rajashekhar Reddy and Hyderabad Mayor Bonthu Rammohan are said to be among the frontrunners. MLC Seri Subhash Reddy has already been appointed as the party in-charge to coordinate with the cadre in the polls.

Similarly, the Congress is learnt to have received many applications seeking party ticket. However, the party is yet to identify its winning horse.

The Congress leadership is learnt to have received a request from Telangana Jana Samithi chief Professor Kodandaram seeking Congress support, to which a decision is yet to be taken.