Parties gamble with ‘unknown’ candidates

Hyderabad, March 31: Independent candidates are more popular than official party candidates in some parts of Ranga Reddy district.

Even local TD leaders are not familiar with Mr Bheemsen, who will be contesting from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat. Mr Bheemsen is the husband of the High Court judge, Justice Meena Kumari.
TD leaders fear the selection of an “unknown face” will have adverse effects in Malkajgiri’s LS seat’s Assembly segments: Medchal, Malkajgiri, Quthbulhapur, Kukatpalle, Uppal, LB Nagar and Secunderabad Cantonment.
Same is the case with another TD candidate, Mr Jitender Reddy, who was shifted from Mahbubnagar to Chevella Lok Sabha seat. Now he is struggling to convince the party leaders that he has “attachment” with Ranga Reddy district. He claimed he had established an engineering college in Moinabad and has invoked the name of the late Indra Reddy.
Praja Rajyam leaders who could not find a candidate for Chevella has allotted it to the Mana Party. The party chief, Mr Kasani Gnanes-war is contesting from Chevella.
Local level leaders of the Praja Rajyam are unhappy with the selection of “strangers” in several constituencies.