Telangana Jana Samithi founder-president Prof M Kodandaram is most likely to contest from Warangal (West) constituency, if the reports doing rounds in the political circles are to be believed.
The TJS might get four to five seats as part of the seat sharing talks with the Congress party and other partners in the Maha Kootami.
The Congress party is said to be offering Warangal West seat to Kodandaram to contest, since it is one of the toughest seats for the alliance.
The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi has already announced the candidature of Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar for the second successive term from Warangal West and he has made a lot of ground work there.
So, the Congress needs a tough candidate to defeat Vinay Bhaskar. When the alliance talks materialised, the party reportedly suggested to Kodandaram that he should contest from this constituency for more than one reason.
First, it is an urban constituency and hence, the voters are mostly educated, who are not happy with the TRS government.
Secondly, Kakatiya University students are eager to take a plunge into campaign for a tough candidate against the TRS and if Kodandaram enters the scene, they would en masse campaign for him.
“The students will do the job for Kodandaram and he doesn’t have to struggle much,” a local JAC leader said.
Thirdly, if Kodandaram contests from Warangal, he could wield his influence in adjacent Karimnagar and Khammam districts as well.
“His presence is enough to fetch victories for the Mahakootami in at least a dozen constituencies,” the leader said.
However, Kodandaram is said to be keen on contesting from Medak to break the supremacy of KCR and his family. It remains to be seen what decision he would take.
