Prof Kodandaram eyes Warangal West seat

​Warangal: Political circles are agog with speculation that Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) president Prof M Kodandaram, who played a key role in separate state movement as convener of the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (T-JAC), is likely to contest from the Warangal West Assembly segment in the ensuing elections.

With the alliance talks still in nascent stage and the TJS state committee is yet to take a decision on party’s candidates, it is a bit too early to predict, but the party sources suggest that in all probability Prof Kodandaram will contest from the Warangal West Assembly segment from where TRS’ Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar won in 2014 elections.

Even though the TJS has plans to contest elections from all the constituencies, it is apparent that the TRS political manoeuvring has forced all other major parties – Congress, Telugu Desam and CPI – to face the elections unitedly. With the TRS opting for early polls, these parties are trying to have a seat-sharing deal. According to reports, the TJS is hoping to get 15 seats in the possible poll alliance.

The TJS has its reasons to choose the Warangal West constituency for its chief as the region is known as the epicentre of Telangana movement with students of Kakatiya University leading from the front in the separate state agitation like their counterparts in Osmania University under the aegis of T-JAC.

Prof Kodandaram has a good rapport with the student community in Warangal, which the major educational hub, second only to Hyderabad. It is believed that students and unemployed youth are unhappy with the TRS government’s “broken promise” of job recruitments. This apart, Prof Kodandaram who is an alumnus of CKM College in Warangal has local connectivity.

Speaking to The Hans India, TJS state coordinator Thirunahari Seshu said: “Better part of people living in Warangal West constituency are educated and aware of the political situation in the state. Party cadre in the region have appealed to the TJS chief to contest from Warangal West. We are expecting a positive response from the core committee.”

Meanwhile, in an interesting development, according to sources, senior Congress leader and former government whip Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, who is touted as the strong contender for the Bhupalpally seat, will have to make way for Sushmita Patel, daughter of Konda Surekha and Muralidhar Rao and contest from Warangal West.

However, it depends upon Konda couple’s terms with the Congress. In such a case, it is going to be either Prof Kodandaram or Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy will contest from West seat as both the parties are expected strike a poll pact. The other prominent choice before Prof Kodandaram appears to be Mancherial, his native district, where he has to face Nadipalli Diwakar Rao of the TRS. There is also a talk that the TJS chief has a chance to contest from Janagaon but it’s unlikely to happen as former TPCC president Ponnala Laxmaiah to contest from here.