Hyderabad: With the notification for the Jubilee Hills by-election expected anytime following publication of the final electoral roll of the constituency on Sept 30, chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday held a crucial meeting with TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and in charge ministers at his residence and directed them to short-list names of three candidates who topped in surveys so far of having winning prospects in the by-poll.He told Mahesh Goud and ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, G Vivek and Tummala Nageswara Rao to finalise the list at the earliest. The CM would hold another meeting soon with them and also the short-listed candidates, before sending it to the AICC leadership for final approval.Discussing the strategy for the by-poll, the CM underscored the importance of winning the by-election at all costs, as the result had the potential to have an impact on the party’s image ahead of elections to GHMC to be held in early 2026. The ruling Congress has already won a by-election held to the Secunderabad Cantonment assembly constituency and wants to continue its winning streak. He also made it clear that winning over 80% of the seats in rural local body polls was even more important for the party.Revanth held an online meeting on Tuesday night with all his cabinet colleagues and the TPCC president and gave them a road map for the panchayat, MPTC and ZPTC elections. “The CM asked the ministers and TPCC president to coordinate with District Congress Committee presidents and other important leaders and short-list three names each for the 565 zilla parishad territorial constituencies (ZPTCs) by Oct 5. The list should be submitted to the PCC chief by October 5 and the screening committee of the TPCC along with CM would meet either on Oct 6 or 7 to discuss and finalise the names,” a leader, who was part of the zoom meeting, told TOI.Revanth also discussed the strategy with the ministers and Mahesh Goud about the high court set to hear the 42% BC reservations GO case on Oct 8 and the stand to be taken immediately after the court verdict.The CM told the ministers that the candidates for 5749 mandal parishad territorial constituencies (MPTCs) should be finalised in consultation with DCCs and mandal and village level leaders of the party. The State Election Commission has announced that the polls would be conducted to ZPTC and MPTC seats in two phases, on Oct 23 and Oct 27. The gram panchayat elections would be held in three phases on Oct 31, Nov 4 and Nov 8.However, sources said strategies would change depending on the high court verdict on BC quota as the candidates would have to be changed if the court declares the 42% GO invalid or the ruling party could go ahead with the candidates for MPTC and ZPTC seats to be finalised based on the enhanced BC reservations GO.
