Congress release names of 65 candidates for Telangana elections

 

The Congress state party chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy will be contesting from the Huzurnagar constituency. Vanteru Pratap Reddy, formerly with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) who joined the Congress, will be contesting against the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president, K Chandrashekar Rao from Gajwel. 

 

The Congress has announced candidates for 20 reserved constituencies and 10 of these candidates are from Backward Class (BC) communities. 

 

However, candidates for Siddipet and Sircilla — where TRS candidates Harish Rao, KCR’s nephew, and KT Ramarao, KCR’s son, will be contesting, were not released. Sources told Times of India that these seats would be contested by candidates from Congress ally Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS). 

 

Taking on the BJP party's Raja Sigh from Goshmahal will be Congress's M Mukesh Goud. Congress has fielded Esa Bin Obaid Misri to contest from Chandrayangutta, and Mohammad Ghouse to contest from Charminar, both seats which are considered AIMIM strongholds.

 

Congress working president, A Revanth Reddy, will be contesting from Kodangal assembly constituency, from where he won the 2009 and 2014 state elections on a TDP ticket. Opposition leader for the Congress, Mohammad Shabbir Ali who lost the 2014 state elections will be contesting again from Kamareddy assembly constituency.

 

The Congress is even willing to contest against their Mahakutami allies, CPI(M), TDP or the TJS  in a “friendly contest” if the allies filed candidates in constituencies where Congress candidates will be contesting from. This decision comes as the finalisation of seat-sharing within the Mahakutami remains a major hurdle for the alliance.

 

The TJS chief, Professor Kondandaram, told the media on Monday that his party would be releasing their list of candidates for the eight or more seats they are contesting from on Tuesday.