Khammam: Ticket race hots up in BJP; many netas trying their luck

Khammam : The Khammam MP general seat is seeing a mad rush for ticket in all the parties. In Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a number of senior leaders are vying to bag the party representation. They are hopeful that the nine years of Modi regime, Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration etc., will pave for their easy win this time.

In the last elections, the BJP failed to catch the fancy of voters, despite contesting the polls in partnership with Janasena Party in the seven constituencies of Khammam Parliament seat. None got deposits. Janasena candidates contested from the general seats of Khammam and Kothagudem, besides Wyra (ST) and Aswaraopet (ST). BJP put up its candidates in Palair ( Gen), Sathupalli (SC) and Madhira (SC) with the support of Janasena.

However, the BJP is confident of wresting the seat in the Lok Sabha polls. Both district presidents of Khammam (Galla Satyanarayana) and Kothagudem (K V Ranga Kiran) entered the fray for getting the party ticket. The young leader of the party Khammam district president Galla Satyanrayana belongs to the Kamma community, so he is pinning hopes on these voters. On the other side, the opposition parties will also try to select candidates from the community leaders as Kamma community wields a considerable influence.

Kothagudem district president, BC ( Kapu) leader KV Ranga Kiran feels the party should give preference to BCs, saying he has a better chance of winning the elections. Senior leader and Kisan Morcha State President Kondapalli Sridhar Reddy is also said to be keen on contesting in the LS polls. He is impressing upon the party top brass to give him one chance to try his luck in the general elections. Kondapalli chose not to contest from Palair in the last Assembly polls.

Note industrialist Tandra Vinodh Rao, who is a follower of RSS, is also one of the aspirants. He says he can take the BJP ideology to masses to win the polls. Vinod who belongs to Khammam district native of Mulakalapalli village officially joined the party in presence of party state chief G Kishan Reddy. He actively created awareness among the people about Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratishta programme. He set up around 1000 posters which attracted the attention of people.

Velama Community leader Tandra Vinod said the party has a good strength in the district. The Modi government’s achievements and Ayodhya programme would fetch massive votes for the party, he adds.

Other senior leaders EV Ramesh, Uppala Sarada, Devaki Vasudeva Rao, Dr Seelam Paparao, Dr G Venkateswara Rao, are also in the race for MP ticket from the party. They have already begun lobbying with the party leadership for the ticket.