TRS keeps candidate's name under wraps

Hyderabad: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) which is going aggressive on Nagarjunasagar bypoll is clueless about the candidate, and further with the Council Chairman G Sukender Reddy taking ill, the party high command is trying to maintain suspense over it.

It can be recalled that the ruling party has appointed MLAs as in-charges for the seven mandals in the constituency. They are extensively campaigning and taking up meetings with local leaders. However, even they are clueless about the candidate. Though they are explaining people about the welfare and development activities of the government, they are keeping mum when posed with the question of candidate contesting the poll.

According to party leaders, maintaining suspense is part of party's strategy to stop migration of leaders to other parties who are denied ticket. There are many contenders for the seat and everyone is lobbying for the ticket. Though the name of Nomula Bhagath, son of late Nomula Narasimhaiah, was doing rounds initially, the Dubbaka experience is making the party think twice. Further, the names of several other candidates including Koti Reddy, Ravinder Reddy, Guruvaiah Yadav, and P Srinivas Yadav have come up for discussion.

"If a candidate is announced, there is a risk of BJP trying to poach the dejected leaders of the party, which it does not want to happen," said a senior leader from Nalgonda, adding that it would be too early to announce the candidate as the Election Commission is yet to release the notification. The party leadership might take the call once the schedule for the bypoll is announced, he opined.