Hyderabad: Scores of Congress leaders are vying for contesting the Jubilee Hills bypolls, even as AICC is mulling for best bet this time to save face in the State capital. Disregarding the guidelines of AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan over speculating the candidate’s name, many top aspirants continue to lobby for the coveted Assembly constituency.
According to sources, beginning from the recent contestant Mohammad Azharuddin, former Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, TMREIS chairman Md Faheemuddin Qureshi, former PCC working president Jetti Kusum Kumar, V Naveen Yadav (had contested from AIMIM in 2014), C Rohin Reddy (contested recently from Amberpet), scores of others are eyeing the ticket. Azharuddin, who recently attended the PAC (Political Affairs Committee) meeting has made his intentions clear that he was willing to contest once again from the Jubilee Hills constituency, despite losing in 2023 Assembly polls.
Bonthu Rammohan, who maintained low profile until recent days, following his failure to get Secunderabad MP ticket, is once again trying to come in the limelight and claims to have grip on the constituents. His wife Sridevi, the Cherlapally division corporator, is said to have a good support base in the constituency. Coming from Kamma caste, Kusum Kumar has earlier tried his best to get MLC position. His candidature was also backed by former MLC T Jagga Reddy, citing need for proper representation for Kammas. While Md Faheemuddin, Rohin Reddy is considered to be part of the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s inner circle. While Faheem is trying to get a ticket citing minority votes in the constituency, Rohin Reddy who lost in Amberpet in 2023, is staking claim by citing his position as a local leader.
However, PCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud has made it clear that the name of the candidate will be finalised only after the AICC completes its survey and bets on the winning candidate. With scores of candidates vying for the ticket, the issue has turned out to be a hassle for the Pradesh Congress Committee.
