Hyderabad: Congress leaders adopt a unique way to seek party tickets for ensuing assembly elections.
While applications and lobbying for tickets is quite common, some have put up posters in Gandhi Bhavan, the headquarters of Congress party in Telangana State, implying they want tickets.
“Rendering services to the party and people for 34 years. Goshamahal Assembly Constituency,” a poster put up by K Sanjay Kumar Yadav says. It also says that he is seeking ticket.
Another poster by K S Ananda Rao says in Telugu, “Congress will win in ensuing polls.” He too is from Goshamahal constituency. It’s obvious he too is seeking ticket.
One family, one ticket issue
Though the party high command is battling the one-family, one-ticket issue, aspirants are pushing for it to be implemented in letter and spirit.
One family, one ticket slogan in Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has created uneasiness among senior party leaders seeking tickets for themselves and family members.
Two ticket aspirants on cloud nine
Congress leaders seeking tickets for spouse and kin are on cloud 9.
Reason; they are confident of getting it in view of their “long service” for the party and their plea is in consonance with the famed Udaipur Declaration of the party.
There are several applicants for two tickets which has irked others who never got a ticket or the youth, keen on contesting this time since the wind looks favourable for them, especially in view of the party win in neighbouring Karnataka.
An undercurrent of one family, one ticket is being circulated by rivals in various constituencies without reading the rider in the Udaipur declaration.
Though the party High Command and TPCC assured ticket aspirants that it would go by the Udaipur declaration, service and winnability of the candidates, some young aspirants are upset over seniors seeking two or more tickets without going through the rider in Udaipur declaration.
Scramble for tickets
Demand for Congress assembly tickets in Telangana State has hit the roof following the return of Congress in neighbouring Karnataka State and party leadership in Telangana too sees winds of change.
Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress party headquarters in Nampally is besieged with ticket seekers from the city and other parts of Telangana. The mood is upbeat among party leaders and cadre.
Party leaders and ticket aspirants are vying with each other to meet TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, AICC General Secretary and in charge of Telangana and other senior party leaders.
Many are confident of the party coming to power in Telangana this time and assert Chief Minister and BRS Supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao’s image has taken a beating for non-fulfillment of many promises.
Of course, they have their own survey to make claims. This is the precise reason the demand for MLA tickets has shot up in Congress.
TPCC received 1060 applications for 119 assembly constituencies. It has fixed Rs 50,000 as nonrefundable application fee for general category and Rs 25,000 for SC, ST categories.
Demand for two tickets in family is non-issue
“The demand for two or more tickets in a family is not an issue. The party will go by Udaipur Declaration which makes it clear that if another member of the family is seeking a ticket, he or she should have five years of organisational experience. Many of them are qualified and served the party in various capacities,” A Uttam Kumar Reddy, Nalgonda Congress MP, Congress Election Committee (CEC) member and ex TPCC President told Siasat.com.
Uttam Kumar Reddy is in the party screening committee in Telangana to shortlist the candidates contesting in the assembly polls and forward it to party high command for approval.
Congress MP and wife Padmavathi Reddy, have a long innings in the Congress party. While Uttam Kumar Reddy is MP, wife Padmavathi Reddy was party MLA from Kodad from 2014 to 2018. She is seeking a ticket again.
Seniors compete with youth
“If those who enjoyed power, got two tickets in the past in a family want it again, when will newcomers get a chance to contest? What about those who never got a ticket yet put their life and blood for the party since ages? The party should infuse young blood and give tickets to newcomers,” asserts a party leader.
Udaipur Declaration
“The principle of “one person, one post” should be followed. Likewise, the principle of “one family, one ticket” should also be ensured. In case another member of the family is politically active, they will be considered for a ticket only after five years of organizational experience,” the AICC Udaipur declaration says.
But few Congress leaders and workers read the rider.
TPCC president Revanth Reddy tells party leaders and cadre that the party high command was seized of the matter. “Service in the party etc. and winning chances will be the sole criteria in the selection of candidate,” Reddy asserted.
Two ticket seekers
Several party leaders are seeking tickets for kith and kin. K Jana Reddy’s eldest son K Raghuveer Reddy has sought Nagarjuna Sagar/Miryalaguda ticket while youngest son has applied for Nagarjuna Sagar.
Permanent invitee for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) Damodar Raja Narasimha, who represented Andole (SC) constituency in the past has also pitched in with his daughter Trisha.
Mulugu MLA D Anusuya, better known as Seethakka, has sought Mulugu ticket while her son Danasari Surya is seeking ticket from Pinapaka.
Couple Konda Murali and Konda Surekha are seeking two tickets—Surekha for Warangal East and Murali wants Parkal ticket.
Former Minister P Janardhan Reddy’s son, P Vishnuvardhan Reddy and sister corporator P Vijaya Reddy too are vying for two tickets. Vishnuvardhan Reddy wants Jubilee Hills constituency (he even threatened former cricketer Mohd Azharuddin not to enter the constituency), while sister Vijaya Reddy is seeking a ticket for Khairtabad Assembly constituency.
Former Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav is seeking Musheerabad Assembly ticket while son and TPCC youth Congress general secretary Anil Kumar wants either Secunderabad or Goshamahal.
Former Union Minister Balaram Naik sought tickets for himself and his son.
One has to wait and see how Congress High Command will deal with two ticket seekers and the demand from youth.
