PCC chiefs facing piquant situation

Hyderabad: The Congress party in the state is facing a peculiar situation. On one hand, the party is being flooded with demands seeking Assembly and Lok Sabha tickets in the Telangana region, and on the other there are virtually no-takers in Seemandhra. While the Telangana PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah is finding it difficult to handle the situation as all those leaders whose cooperation he has been seeking are demanding that their kith and kin be given party tickets, Andhra Pradesh PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy is unable to find aspirants. While Ponnala is doing a tight rope walk, Reddy on Tuesday said that they would be going to various places during the bus yatra that would commence from March 21 to 27 and during the interaction with the people; they would accept applications from the aspirants. “We want to save the aspirants from coming all the way to Hyderabad for tickets,” he told media persons here on Tuesday.

According to sources, when Ponnala met the party senior leaders like K Jana Reddy and former PCC president D Srinivas at their house on Tuesday to seek their cooperation, they had put up demands for party tickets for their kith and kin. It may be mentioned that both these leaders are among those who have been keeping away from the meetings that were convened by Ponnala after he took charge as the first TPCC president.

It is learnt that Jana Reddy told Ponnala to recommend the name of his son K Raghuveer Reddy for Miryalaguda Assembly constituency in Nalgonda district. Jana said that he would seek re-election from Nagarjuna Sagar constituency. D Srinivas told Ponnala that his son D Sanjay should be fielded from Nizamabad (Urban) Assembly constituency.

The former PCC president said he was not interested in contesting the elections. Sources said that Ponnala assured them that he would try his best but things were not in his hands. He, however, urged them to play an active role in election campaign. However, the list of ticket-seekers for their kin does not end here. Others who are demanding tickets for their children or wives are Congress MLA from Suryapeta R Damodar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkatreddy. While Damodar wants Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency ticket for his son R Sarvottam Reddy, Komatireddy is also pitching for the same seat for his younger brother Rajagopal Reddy.

T Congress election campaign committee Chairman R Damodar Raja Narsimha is evincing keen interest to field his wife Padmini Reddy from Sanga Reddy assembly constituency. Telangana PCC Working President N Uttam Kumar Reddy is learnt to have pleaded for Kodad assembly seat for his wife Padmavati. The former home minister Sabitha Indra Reddy has demanded that her son Karthik Reddy be given ticket for Chevella Lok Sabha constituency. She has threatened to quit the party if her wish was not fulfilled. The TPCC official spokesperson Mohd Ali Shabbir requested Ponnala to recommend the name of his son Mohd Ali to contest from Kama Reddy constituency. Interestingly, the PCC Chief also wants that his daughter- in law Vaishali should enter electoral politics by contesting from one of the constituencies in Warangal district.