Telangana Deputy CM’s wife seeks Cong ticket from Khammam

Hyderabad, Feb 3: The wife of Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Nandini Mallu, has applied for a Congress ticket from the Khammam Lok Sabha seat, which has some key aspirants, including former Union minister Renuka Chowdary.

State minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s brother Ponguleti Prasad Reddy, another minister Tummala Nageswara Rao’s son Tummala Yugender, and former MP V. Hanumantha Rao have also applied for ticket from Khammam.

On Saturday, Nandini reached Hyderabad from Khammam in a huge car rally to submit her application. The cavalcade reportedly comprised 500 cars.

In a massive show of strength by Nandini, hundreds of Congress workers participated in the rally.

Nandini said the Telangana Congress has already requested Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Khammam.

“If they contest, we all will work to ensure their landslide victory. I have requested the party high-command to give me the ticket from Khammam if they are not contesting,” she said.

Renuka Chowdary, who was elected from Khammam in 1999 and 2004 but was unsuccessful in 2009 and 2019, is again aspiring for a ticket.

Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy was elected to the Lok Sabha from Khammam on a YSRCP ticket in 2014. He later joined the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and switched loyalties to the Congress before the recent Assembly elections. His brother has also applied for Khammam ticket.

Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao too had quit the BRS to join the Congress. His son is also aspiring for the Lok Sabha ticket from Khammam.

Saturday was the last day for submitting applications for Lok Sabha tickets. A total of 306 leaders have applied for tickets for 17 seats in the state.

On the last day, 166 applications were received.

The Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) headed by Chief Minister and TPCC President A. Revanth Reddy will scrutinise the applications and send the list of applicants to the party high-command for finalising the candidates.