Turncoats set sights on Sec’bad LS seat as political climate heats up across State

Hyderabad: With new joinings in the Congress and a few others likely to crossover from the BRS, the number of ticket aspirants for the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat is adding to political heat.

The aspirants who applied for candidacy officially include senior partymen PCC general secretary and civil engineer M R G Vinod Reddy, party official spokesperson and high court advocate Sama Ram Mohan Reddy, a chartered accountant B Venugopal Swamy, educationist Vidya Sravanthi, who recently joined the party, a doctor and Sanathnagar leader Dr S Ravinder Goud.

A total of 16 have applied, but the recent joining of BonthuRammohan, the former Mayor, has made him one of top contenders. Amongst others in the race is the family of Mothe Srilatha Shoban Reddy, the current Deputy Mayor, who are yet to formally switch over to the ruling party.

With some 35 years in party, Vinod Reddy has been serving it since student days in NSUI. Native of Hyderabad and resident of Himayatnagar, he served as union State general secretary in united AP during the late 80s. A voter of Secunderabad Parliament constituency, this civil engineer has remained active throughout his over three decades of political career.

Sama Ram Mohan Reddy has remained proactive and is the party face during prime time debates on national TV channels. Active both at State and national level he always remained in good books of national leadership.

Party sources say following the joining of leaders particularly from the BRS it appears that turncoats have upset the apple cart of the loyal leaders. The party leadership which takes into account different aspects including caste, religious and even financial backgrounds will be taking final call, despite all hard sell of PCC leadership that loyal and hardworking partymen will be considered.

Even during the recent Assembly poll, some 25% of candidates who contested on Congress ticket were turncoats. Political heat in the party may intensify as both Lok Sabha polls and summer are near. More turncoats, including couple MotheShoban Reddy would jump on the Congress bandwagon.