Tightrope walk ahead for Komati, Uttam

Nalgonda: It is going to be a do or die fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for both Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and former Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, contesting the Nalgonda and Bhongir constituencies respectively.

Interestingly, in both Nalgonda and Bhongir Parliament constituencies, out of seven Assembly constituencies, the Congress party has only one MLA from each MP constituency.

Nalgonda Lok Sabha constituency consists of Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, Nagarjunasagar, Devarakonda, Suryapet Huzurnagar and Kodad Assembly constituencies, of these seven constituencies, Congress could only win Huzurnagar seat represented by TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is now party's MP candidate for Nalgonda LS seat.

In 2014 general elections, Gutha Sukender Reddy who won with a thumping majority of 1.90 lakh on a Congress ticket shifted his loyalties to Telangana Rashtra Samithi later. The present situation of Congress party in Nalgonda Parliament constituency is quite different with majority of its leaders and cadres tilting towards the pink party.

However, based on previous track record of the TPCC chief, the Congress leaders are exuding their confidence that party would clinch the Nalgonda LS seat. But the political analysts opine that it would be hard for the Congress to put Nalgonda seat in its kitty as TRS has six MLAs and further the pink party planning to pit Gutha against Uttam, further intensifying the fight. It may be recalled that Gutha had won the Nalgonda MP seat thrice earlier.

Meanwhile, the Congress candidate from Bhongir Lok Sabha seat, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, is also facing a similar situation as of Uttam Kumar Reddy, as he too has only one party MLA from Munugodu constituency in the seven Assembly constituencies of Bhongir.

The Bhongir LS constituency consists of Janagoan, Aler, Bhongir, Tungaturthi, Nakrekal, Munugodu and Ibrahimpatnam. The Munugodu Assembly constituency is represented by his brother Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy. The Congress strength which was two earlier was reduced to one as Nakrekal MLA Chirumarthi Lingaiah joined the TRS.

Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy who won the Bhongir LS seat in 2009 election, lost the seat in 2014 election. Despite that, Rajgopal still has a wide network of followers and it is to be seen whether it the support will turn in favour of his brother Venkat Reddy.

At the same time, the sitting MP Boora Narsaiah Goud, who would be contesting for the second time, also has a clean image in the eyes of people besides having party strength and community backing.

Meanwhile, the political analysts feel that if Komati and Uttam win the polls, they would not only inject strength into their political careers but also strengthen the Congress party. But if they fail, it would prove debacle for their career as politicians.