Uttam scouting for strong candidate to contest Huzurnagar byelection

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy is scouting for a strong candidate to contest in the byelection from Huzurnagar Assembly constituency. Byelection to the constituency may be held in October or November.

The Huzurnagar constituency has fallen vacant as Uttam Kumar Reddy resigned following his election to Lok Sabha from Nalgonda Lok Constituency. Uttam Kumar Reddy decided to retain MP seat and vacate the MLA seat. He submitted his resignation from the Assembly in June first week and the Election Commission of India was informed of the vacancy.

As per rules, election has to be held in six months after the vacancy arose. So, the by election may be held for Huzurnagar by end of November or earlier. According to official sources, the byelection may be held along with the general elections to Assemblies of other States. They may be held in November and Huzurnagar may go to polls along with them.

Meanwhile, the Congress is making preparations to face the polls. It is determined to retain the seat at any cost so that its strength in the Assembly improves. The Congress has six members in the House at present and if it wins Huzurnagar, its strength would go up to seven. This number keeps the Congress on a par with MIM which too has seven members in Assembly.

With a view to win the seat, the Congress is scouting for a strong candidate from Huzurnagar. It has consulted party leader Patel Ramesh Reddy and senior leader Vijayasanthi. According to sources both have refused to contest.

It is also considering names of party treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy, Uttam Kumar's brother Kaushik Reddy and others. The sources have not ruled out the possibility of fielding former MLA from Kodada Padmavathi Reddy from Huzurnagar.

The TPCC has entrusted the responsibility of selecting the candidate for the Congress to working president Kusuma Kumar. He would take up the selection in consultation with Uttam Kumar Reddy.

Party leaders said Uttam Kumar Reddy is considering the election as prestigious because it is home constituency. A victory in the constituency would strengthen his position. He has been extensively touring Huzurnagar and holding meetings with party cadre. He has been urging the voters to elect Congress candidate again in the bypoll.

A victory in Huzurnagar would also help him maintain his upper hand in the politics of erstwhile Nalgonda district. If a leader of his choice wins the seat, he may contest from it again from the same seat in the next general elections to Assembly, it is said.