From boardroom battles to poll fields, moneybags have it easy

Hyderabad: There was a time when professionals like lawyers and doctors, and people who have been active in political life, would present themselves as a messiah of the populace, banking on their expertise in public service. These were the candidates of yesteryears. It seems like gone are those days.

Now, political parties are “banking” on their pockets. The deeper the pockets, the more easily they get tickets to fight in elections. Particularly in Telangana, there are scores of candidates in all political parties who have strong business background. These business bosses have now don the role of politicians and hit the ground running seeking support and votes of the Aam Aadmi, promising good days for them. Corporate bosses like Konda Vishveswara Reddy (BJP ), M Srinivas Reddy ( BRS ), Ranjit Reddy( Congress), Nama Nageshwara Rao ( BRS) and BB Patil ( BJP), Madhavi Latha(BJP) and many more are in contesting on the leading parties’ tickets in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. A Ramesh ( BJP) and G Vamshi ( Congress) and Raghuram Reddy ( Congress) and T Vinod Rao ( BJP ), having business background, are also trying their luck first time in the general elections .

Konda vishveswara Reddy, whose family is active in the corporate healthcare industry, is contesting from ChevellaLok Sabha segment. Though he lost the elections in 2019, Reddy has been in politics for the last five years and made his own mark in the Lok Sabha segment. The BJP candidate is giving a tough fight to his rival and also big shot in the poultry industry Ranjit Reddy, who is contesting on Congress ticket. Ranjit Reddy was elected from BRS last time and switched over to the Congress party before the elections. The two corporate bosses are making all out efforts to win the elections with their strong financial background.

One of the biggest construction companies head in India, Nama Nageshwara Rao is fighting the election against his rival and owner of corporate schools Raghuram Reddy from Khammam Lok Sabha segment. The election in the segment seems to be a high stakes political game with several big leaders from BRS and Congress are putting all efforts to win their candidate. The BJP candidate T Vinod Rao is also having a strong business background in the triangular fight in Khammam.

BJP candidate from Zaheerabad, BB Patil is contesting against strong Congress leader and former MP Suresh Shetkar. Patil, who won the 2019 election on BRS ticket, joined the saffron party before the elections. Noted contractor and businessman, A Ramesh is fighting the elections from Warangal. The BRS leader joined the BJP and testing the waters in the elections. G Vamshi, son of Congress leader G Vinod, was heading his parent company which had a network of business across the country. Vamshi is fighting the election from Peddapalli SC reserved segment. Vamshi is sweating out to win against BRS senior leader K Eshwar.

BRS senior leader and sitting MP M Srinivas Reddy, who also belongs to the corporate world, is contesting from Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha segment from where Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy hailed. The BRS candidate is giving tough fight to Congress candidate Vamshichand Reddy.