TRS retains Dayakar; nominates Kavitha

Warangal/Mahabubabad: Ending weeks of speculation over the Warangal (SC) and Mahabubabad (ST) Lok Sabha tickets, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Thursday announced its candidates.

While renominating Pasunuri Dayakar from Warangal, the TRS leadership chose former MLA Maloth Kavitha for Mahabubabad, replacing sitting MP Azmeera Seetharam Naik.

The retention of Pasunuri Dayakar, who won the 2015 by-poll with a record majority of nearly 4.60 lakh votes, has always been on the cards since he was non-controversial.

Although there was a speculation that Kadiyam Srihari or his daughter Kavya was in the race for the ticket, the TRS leadership appeared firm on renominating Dayakar for the second time.

It's said that his affinity with all the district leaders worked in favour of him.

On the other hand, there was a clear indication from the party sources that sitting MP Azmeera Seetharam hasn't been in the good books of the TRS leadership.

The change in the candidature was necessitated due to party's performance in the Assembly segments of Mahabubabad Parliament constituency.

It may be mentioned here that TRS lost Bhadrachalam, Pinapaka, Yellandu and Mulugu seats of the seven in Mahabubabad Lok Sabha constituency, according to party sources.

This apart the speculation of Seetharam Naik joining the Congress also dented his chances. The survey reports of the TRS also reportedly not favoured Seetharam Naik.

Maloth Kavitha, daughter of Dornakal MLA DS Redya Naik, who won Mahabubabad Assembly seat (then in Congress) in 2009, had lost 2014 elections.

Thereafter, the 39-year-old joined the TRS along with her father in 2014. She did not get ticket in 2018 elections.

She worked as the TRS State general secretary and also as the in charge of Jangaon, Station Ghanpur, Wardhannapet constituencies during the recent Assembly elections.

With Kavitha and her father Redya Naik, who represents Dornakal constituency, having a decent hold in the Parliament constituency, which has more female voters than male, the TRS leadership favoured her candidature.

With her husband Bhadru Naik hailing from Yellandu, she has the local tag advantage in that Assembly segment of Lok Sabha constituency as well.

Even though the TRS changed the candidate, a lot depends on Congress MLAs Rega Kantha Rao (Pinapaka) and Haripriya Naik (Yellandu), who defected to ruling party.