Hyderabad: With elections to two graduate MLC constituencies due early next year ahead of the expiry of the incumbents’ terms in March 2027, an intense scramble has begun within the ruling Congress for party nominations.The contest has drawn a long list of aspirants, including sons of senior political leaders, former corporation chairpersons, and prominent party functionaries, reflecting the growing importance the Congress attaches to winning both seats.For the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda graduates MLC constituency, those in the race include Ramreddy Sarvotham Reddy, son of former minister late Ramreddy Damodar Reddy; Gutha Amith Reddy, son of legislative council chairperson Gutha Sukender Reddy; RTI commissioner PV Srinivas; senior Congress leader Lokesh Yadav; and TPCC general secretary Chanagani Dayakar.Though the names of Ponguleti Prasad Reddy, younger brother of minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Nalgonda DCC president Kailash Netha, and former tourism corporation chairperson Patel Ramesh Reddy were also under discussion, sources said they later informed the party leadership that they were not keen on contesting the polls.Likewise, there is intense competition in the Congress for the Mahbubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad graduates MLC constituency. Aspirants include former Sports Authority of Telangana chairperson Shivsena Reddy, former media committee chairperson Sama Ram Mohan Reddy, T-SAT CEO Bodanapally Venugopal Reddy, HCA secretary Manne Jeevan Reddy, and Youth Congress president Shiv Charan Reddy, among others. The only BC candidate in the race for the seat is Telangana Congress spokesperson Gowri Satheesh.Telangana Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud told TOI that a panel of shortlisted names would be sent to the party high command for a final decision. This time, the ruling party wants to finalise candidates early to give them sufficient time to personally reach out to graduate voters.Sources said the competition within the Congress is particularly fierce as aspirants are confident that the ruling party is well placed to win both seats. While graduate constituency elections are driven by a distinct voter base and political equations, contenders are drawing confidence from the Congress’s recent electoral successes, including victories in assembly bypolls, municipal elections, and panchayat polls.At present, Teenmar Mallanna, who was suspended from the Congress, represents the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda graduates’ constituency, while Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, is the BRS MLC from the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad seat.The Mahbubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad constituency is also significant for the BJP, having been represented by the party’s current state president N Ramchander Rao from 2015 to 2021 before Vani Devi won it for the BRS.The Election Commission has already initiated voter registration and electoral roll preparation for the polls. While the Congress is keen to convert its political dominance in the state into victories in both graduate constituencies, the BRS is looking to reclaim lost ground and the BJP is seeking to strengthen its influence among educated voters, setting the stage for an intense multi-cornered contest. Independent candidates and youth organisations are also expected to play a role in the elections.GFX:Among those in race for Warangal-Khammam-nalgonda Graduates MLC constituency from the ruling Congress are:Ramreddy Sarvotham Reddy.P V Srinivas.Lokesh Yadav.Gutha Amith Reddy.Chanagani DayakarAspirants for Mahbubnagar-Ranga Redd-Hyderabad Graduates MLC seat from the Congress are:Manne Jeevan Reddy.Shivsena Reddy.Sama Ram Mohan Reddy.Bodanapally Venugopal Reddy.Gowri Satheesh.Shiv Charan Reddy.
