Soon after the Congress released their candidate list for Telangana, the Telugu Desam Party released their first list of candidates, consisting of names of people contesting from nine constituencies on Tuesday. Both the Congress and the TDP are part of the Mahakutami.
As per the list, Nama Nageswara Rao will be contesting from Khammam, Revuri Prakash Reddy from Warangal West, Sandra Venkata Veeraiah from Sathupalli, Kothakota Dayakar Reddy from Makthal, Erra Shekhar from Mahabubnagar, T Veerender Goud from Uppal, Anand Prasad from Serilingampally, Mecha Nageswar Rao from Aswaraopeta and Muzzafar Ali Khan from Malakpet.
Nama Nageswara Rao is a former Lok Sabha MP from Khammam. He also contested the 2014 general elections against then YSRCP candidate Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, but was defeated. He was an MP from 2009-2014. This time, Nageswara Rao has chosen to contest in the Assembly polls. Nageswara Rao, was one of the richest MPs from Telangana.
The party said that their second list announcing six more candidates would be out soon.
Despite protests from the Muvva Satyanarayana faction demanding a ticket from Serilingampally, the party gave the ticket to Anand Prasad. Former Congress MLA from Serilingampally, Bikshapathi Yadav was hoping that he would be given the ticket. However, the constituency was given to the TDP as part of the alliance.
The Congress released its much-delayed candidate list on Monday night, announcing the names of people contesting from 65 constituencies. Incumbent Warangal East MLA Konda Surekha, who recently joined the Congress after resigning from the TRS as the party refused her a ticket, will be contesting from Parkal.
TPCC chief Uttam Kumar will be contesting from Huzurnagar. The TRS is yet to announce the candidate who will be contesting against him.
Candidates began filing their nominations from Monday, and 48 candidates have already filed their nominations. The candidates include Telangana BJP president K Laxman and incumbent Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh. Raja Singh was accompanied by BJP senior leader Ram Madhav for his nomination.
10 candidates from the TRS and six from the Congress also filed their nominations. The last day for filing nomination is November 19. The Election Commission will scrutinize the candidates by November 20, and the last date for withdrawal is November 22. Telangana goes to polls on December 7, and results will be declared on December 11.