The Congress high command on Friday finalised the candidature of Palwai Sravanthi, daughter of former minister late Palwai Goverdhan Reddy, for the ensuing by-election to Munugode assembly constituency in Nalgonda district.
Sravanthi’s name was announced by Mukul Wasnik, All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of party’s central election committee, after examining all the aspects.
The Congress is the second party to announce the candidate for Munugode assembly seat, though the Election Commission of India is yet to announce the schedule for the by-poll.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has already decided to field Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, who resigned from the Congress to join the BJP and also his assembly membership from Munugode.
The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi is yet to announce its candidate, but it has more or less finalised the candidature of former Kosukuntla Prabhakar Reddy, who lost to Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy in December 2018 assembly elections.
Sravanthi, a law graduate, had been associated with the Congress since late ‘90s and had been a member of APCC and AICC in the past. She contested the assembly elections from Munugode in 2014, but lost to the TRS.
However, PCC president A Revanth Reddy is understood to have recommended the name of industrialist and local leader Chalama Krishna Reddy for the Munugode by-elections. Once a close associate of Rajagopal Reddy, he has close contacts with the local party cadre.
He remained with the Congress and did not go to the BJP along with Rajagopal Reddy. Apparently, Revanth felt that since Krishna Reddy is rich and influential, he would be the right candidate against Rajagopal Reddy.
Secondly, the PCC chief felt that if given the ticket, there would be no chances of Rajagopal Reddy luring Krishna Reddy at a later stage.
However, Krishna Reddy’s candidature was strongly resisted by Rajagopal Reddy’s brother Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. The other seniors, like K Jana Reddy, Ramreddy Damodar Reddy and N Uttam Kumar Reddy, too, opposed Krishna Reddy,
They suggested the name of Palwai Sravanthi, who is also a senior and enjoys the goodwill of her late father. But Revanth was not so keen on her, because he thought she is no match for Rajagopal Reddy.
During the recent visit to Delhi, Venkat Reddy prevailed upon Congress top leaders including Priyanka Gandhi to pick up Sravanthi. As a result, the high command finalised her name. Revanth now has no choice but to accept the same.
By recommending her name, Komatireddy has hit two birds at one shot. First, Sravanthi is too weak to put up a fight; Secondly, Krishna Reddy, being a past associate of Komatireddy brothers, can turn a rebel. As a result, Rajagopal Reddy can easily win and the blame can be shifted to Revanth Reddy!
