Congress Names Four Candidates for LS Polls in Telangana

The Congress on Friday announced the candidature of Suresh Kumar Shetkar (Zaheerabad), Challa Vamshichand Reddy (Mahbubnagar), Kunduru Raghuveer Reddy (Nalgonda) and Balram Naik Porika (Mahbubabad, ST) in its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana state. The high command has kept the candidature of Sunitha Mahender Reddy from the Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha constituency on hold.

The Congress released two lists within two hours. The first list announced the name of Sunitha Mahender Reddy from Chevella and put Vamshichand Reddy from Mahabubnagar on hold. In the revised list, it announced Vamshichand Reddy's candidature and kept Sunitha Mahender Reddy’s name on hold. The party’s central election committee (CEC), which met in Delhi on Thursday, cleared the



names. TPCC president and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy are learnt to have submitted a list of 11 probables.

Party sources said that the CEC will meet again on March 11 to clear the names of candidates for the remaining constituencies in the second and third phases. The party high command putting on hold the candidature of Vamshichand Reddy initially surprised party leaders and cadre as Revanth Reddy had twice announced the name. They heaved a sigh of relief after his name figured in the revised list. Party sources said that Sunitha Reddy's name was kept on hold as objections were raised by local party leaders on giving the ticket to a recent entrant.