Whom will Cong choose for Nalgonda MP seat?
Congress top leader Rohit Choudhary listening to the Patel Ramesh Reddy’s voice before the withdrawal of his nomination as Congress rebel candidate for Suryapet seat (File Photo); TPCC president and CM Revanth Reddy made a courtesy call to Congress senior leader and former minister Jana Reddy at his residence in Hyderabad (File Photo)
Nalgonda: In a tale of political twists, it appears as if bad luck for Congress leader Patel Ramesh Reddy continues to follow him amidst reports surfacing regarding the MP ticket from Nalgonda. While Ramesh Reddy, who faced disappointment in both the 2018 and 2023 Assembly Elections for the Surypet ticket, was assured of being given the MP ticket from the party, the situation remains tense for him now as former minister Jana Reddy has expressed interest in contesting for the Nalgonda MP seat.
It may be recalled that Ramesh Reddy, aspiring to be the Congress MLA candidate for Suryapet constituency, saw his hopes dashed when the party ticket was given to former minister and senior leader Ramreddy Damoder Reddy. However, the latter lost to Jagadish Reddy of the BRS in both 2018 and 2023. Undeterred, Ramesh Reddy, counting on the support of his childhood friend and TPCC president, the present CM Revanth Reddy, took to the streets with padayatra and protested the government’s failures.
Expressing his concern, Ramesh Reddy filed his nomination as a rebel candidate from the All India Forward Bloc for the Suryapet seat but later withdrew following mediation by central and state Congress leaders. The assurance of a Nalgonda MP ticket in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections, backed by a supporting letter from Uttam Kumar Reddy, seemed to provide solace.
However, the situation remains tense for Ramesh Reddy now. With Jana Reddy’s elder son, Raghuveer Reddy, also eyeing the same seat, the dynamics within the Congress party are becoming increasingly complex. Both Patel Ramesh Reddy and Raghuveer Reddy, close aides of CM Revanth Reddy, pose a challenge to TPCC president’s leadership.
Political pundits warn that failure to fulfill the promise of the Nalgonda MP ticket to Ramesh Reddy could tarnish the image of both the party and CM Revanth Reddy in the district, potentially impacting other seats like Bhongir MP. Moreover, suggestions have arisen for Congress to utilise the experience of Jana Reddy by appointing him as an MLC or entrusting him with responsibilities such as the state Home Minister or electing him as a Rajya Sabha member from the state.