TDP cadre demand ticket for Sama Ranga Reddy

LB Nagar: Demanding ticket to contest in the December elections, Telugu Desam constituency in-charge Sama Ranga Reddy, along with party leaders, staged a hunger strike at the party office here on Sunday. Earlier they registered their protest at LB Nagar Junction after garlanding Dr Ambedkar and Babu Jagjivan Ram statues. But following the intervention of the Police, they shifted their venue to the party office. Speaking on the occasion, Sama Ranga Reddy said that the party has a significant presence in the constituency, and that it has been winning each GHMC poll election since 2009. He demanded that the Grand Alliance (GA) allot the constituency to the TDP. Sama categorically said that they are ready for any sacrifice in getting the ticket. He said that in the GHMC elections, held in 2009, out of eight, seven corporators were from the TDP.

Though R Krishnaiah’s candidature was announced just one day before filing the nominations in 2014 elections, the TDP, nevertheless, won the seat, he said and pointed out that in both the elections, Congress was limited to third place. He questioned GA leaders’ proposal to allot the seat to the Congress. Sama opined that seat sharing would be done based on the alliance partners’ strengths in the constituencies. Though, the allotment of seats is yet to be confirmed, the Congress leaders are sending feelers to the media to create confusion among party cadres. All this will finally benefit the TRS in the elections, he lamented. He said that the TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu assured him of allotting a seat in the ensuing polls. He exuded confidence of getting ticket and called upon the party cadre to continue campaigning at all divisions in the constituency.