Hyderabad: The Congress has intensified its exercise to finalise graduate MLC candidates for two Telangana constituencies. The Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam and Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahbubnagar seats will fall vacant in March.
Chintapandu Naveen, popularly known as Teenmar Mallanna, represents the Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam constituency. Surabhi Vani Devi represents the Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahbubnagar constituency.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka was assigned the task of selecting a candidate for the first constituency. Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha was given responsibility for the second seat.
Party sources said both leaders considered social equations and local political factors. They subsequently finalised panels containing three names for their respective constituencies.
The Pradesh Congress Committee is learnt to have forwarded all six names to AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal. The central leadership is expected to consider the panels before making its final decision.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is scheduled to travel to Delhi on September 29. He is expected to attend the Congress Working Committee meeting during the visit.
Several Congress leaders have expressed interest in contesting the two seats. Some aspirants have reportedly approached State and national leaders while seeking party nominations.
Graduate MLC candidates shortlisted for two constituencies
For the Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam seat, the recommended names are Sarvotham Reddy, P.V. Srinivas and Chanagani Dayakar. Sarvotham Reddy is the son of former minister and late Congress leader Ram Reddy Damodar Reddy of Suryapet district.
P.V. Srinivas serves as an RTI Commissioner, while Chanagani Dayakar is a PCC general secretary. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahbubnagar panel includes industrialist Manne Jeevan Reddy.
The other two names on that panel are former PCC Media Committee chairman Sama Rammohan Reddy and PCC spokesperson Gouri Satish. Gouri Satish also heads educational institutions, according to the source.
Party sources said the high command is expected to select one candidate from each three-member panel. However, they added that new names could emerge before the final decision.
The official announcement is expected by the end of September. Current reporting also indicates that the two graduate MLC terms are due to expire in March 2027.