BJP's final list came on the last date for filing nomination papers for the polls on Friday. It is contesting 111 of the state's 119 segments.
Published Nov 10, 2023 | 1:22 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 10, 2023 | 1:22 PM
Celebration in front of Serilingampally candidate Ravi Kumar Yadav's residence on 10 November. (Sumit Jha/South First)
The BJP announced its fifth and final list of 14 candidates for the Telangana Assembly elections on Friday, 10 November, replacing three candidates who were nominated earlier.
With the release of the final list, the BJP has announced its candidates for 111 constituencies. The party is contesting the 30 November Assembly polls in alliance with the Jana Sena Party of actor-politician Pawan Kalyan, which has been allocated eight seats.
The candidates on the final list were intimated of their inclusion on Thursday. The B Forms were also distributed in advance as Friday is the last day for filing nomination papers.
“The names were finalised on Thursday afternoon. By evening, the party issued the B-forms to the candidates privately as the official announcement was yet to be made,” a BJP leader told South First just before the official announcement of the candidates.
On the secrecy over the candidates, the leader, who wished not to be named, said the party did not want to disappoint “cadres who are working tirelessly. There will be disappointment among many aspirants but we want them to work together. It’s good that we have many aspirants willing to carry the BJP flag forward and want to see them in different roles”.
Incidentally, BJP state spokesperson Anugula Rakesh Reddy, a youth leader who had aspired to contest from the Warangal West constituency, was denied a party ticket. He resigned from the party and joined the rival BRS.
“We don’t want a situation like Warangal. We want to keep the flock together and that’s one of the reasons why the announcement was made late,” the BJP leader said.
In the Srilingampally constituency, Ravi Kumar Yadav celebrated his nomination on Thursday night. The Jana Sena had sought the seat, but the BJP managed to secure the segment for its candidate.
Ravi Kumar Yadav, previously a Youth Congress leader, joined the BJP in 2021. His father M Bikshapathi Yadav was a Congress MLA from 2009-14.
Former MLC and Advocate N Ramchander Rao would contest once again from the Malkajgiri constituency. He had contested from the same constituency against Mynampally Hanumantha Rao in 2018 and lost.
Ramchander Rao was initially reluctant to contest from Malkajgiri. Though the name of former mayor Banda Karthika Reddy was under consideration, she opted not to join the electoral race at the last moment, anticipating the Secunderabad seat.
Meanwhile, Deshpandey Rajeshwar Rao would represent the BJP in the Sangareddy constituency.
The list also included Koyyala Emaji for Bellampalli, Dugyala Pradeep for Peddapalli, Yenugu Sudharshan Reddy for Medchal, Rahul Chandra for Nampally, K Mahender for Chandrayangutta, Ganesh Narayan for Secunderabad Cantonment, Konda Prashant Reddy for Devarkadra, Anugna Reddy for Wanaparthy, Meramma for Alampur, K Pulla Rao for Narsampet, and Perumarpally Vijaya Raju for Madhira.
Wanaparthy witnessed a change with Anugna Reddy replacing former TSRTC union leader Ashwathama Reddy. In Bellampally (SC), Koyyala Emaji replaced A Sridevi. The reason for the replacement was not disclosed.
In Chandrayangutta, U Satyanarayana’s candidacy was changed at his family’s request for health reasons. K Mahender replaced him.
