Top leaders file papers on penultimate day

Hyderabad: In a low-key affair, several top and senior leaders from both ruling TRS and opposition Congress filed nominations on Friday.

TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is fighting from Nalgonda Lok Sabha segment, Congress working president A Revanth Reddy (Malkajgiri), Nizamabad sitting MP TRS leader K Kavitha, Congress sitting MP from Chevella K Vishweshar Reddy and Telangana Congress senior leader Komatireddy Venkat Reddy contesting from Bhongir have filed the nominations.

As the last date to file the nomination is March 25 (Monday), a majority of the contestants made a beeline to the Returning Officer (RO) offices since morning. Till date, more than 200 contestants filed their nominations in 17 poll-bound Lok Sabha segments.

The highest number of 61 nominations have been received in Nizamabad and 19 in Malkajgiri segment, followed by Nalgonda and Bhongir which got 15 nominations each.

TRS leader Kavitha accompanied by family members, including her husband Anil performed special puja at Hanuman temple in Sarangapur in Nizamabad before submitting the nomination papers.

TRS MLAs Bajireddy Govardhan and others were also present. She exuded confidence that TRS will win 16 MP seats and play a key role at the Centre in the formation of Union government.

Kavitha is confident that all the pending issues regarding Telangana at the Centre will be sorted out in the new government. TRS leadership already swung into action to convince the agitating farmers.

Besides, fighting against the Congress candidate Madhu Yashki Goud, Kavitha is also facing a threat from contestants in large numbers from the farming community.

As a mark of protest, against the government's indifference in providing remunerative price to their turmeric produce, farmers are planning to file nominations in a large number on the last of the nominations.

While, TPCC chief Uttam with his close confidants filed nominations in Nalgonda, Revnath and Venkat Reddy took out small rallies before submitting the papers to the election authorities in their respective Lok Sabha segments.

Venkat Reddy's younger brother and Munugodu MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy said that his brother and himself will quit politics if Venkat Reddy loses the elections this time.

TRS senior leader T Harish Rao was part of the group of MLAs accompanied Medak Lok Sabha TRS candidate K Prabhakar Reddy at the time of filing nominations.

After performing puja at Konaipally Venkateswara Swamy temple in Medak along with the TRS candidate, Harish said that TRS supremo K Chandrashekhar Rao registered a winning streak after praying at this temple.

He also hoped that Prabhakar would win the polls with a huge majority. TRS candidate Ranjit Reddy from Chevella, P Ramulu (TRS- Nagarkurnool), M Kavitha (TRS- Mahbubabad) among the others who filed nominations.