Election campaigning has reached a fever-pitch in Telangana as the state is all set to go to polls on December 7. As the last day for filing nominations is past, this election season has been ground to protests from many disgruntled party workers who resort to publicity stunts over denial of tickets.
In a video that went viral, Congress party workers at Narayanpet can be seen burning their own party flags and climbing atop mobile towers after Congress sidelined its own party workers and gave a ticket to K Shivkumar Reddy who had defected into the Congress party from TRS in September.
In the video, the visibly angry party workers are seen pitching slogans against Congress and marching with a party flag each in their hands. The workers later heap the flags, pour kerosene and set them on fire. In another video, the workers are seen climbing atop mobile towers in a protest against the party for giving ticket to someone who contested on the TRS ticket in the 2014 polls.
Shiva Kumar Reddy, who contested on the TRS ticket from Narayanpet constituency in the 2014 elections, joined the Congress party in September in the presence of All India Congress Committee secretary incharge for Telangana RC Khuntia, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Gadwal MLA DK Aruna and other senior leaders.
As the Congress has joined hands with the TDP, TJS and several other parties forming the ‘Mahakutami’, in a fight against the incumbent TRS government in the upcoming polls, discontent among workers is prevalent and there is a tug of war for party tickets among the many candidates from different parties.
On Sunday, ahead of the last day for filing nominations for the Telangana Assembly elections, the Congress in New Delhi finally released its final list of candidates.
The Congress released its third list of 13 candidates for the Telangana Assembly polls, fielding party veteran and former Andhra Pradesh Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah from Jangaon, a seat that was rumoured to be contested by the TJS chief Kodandaram, a party in alliance with the Congress. #KhabarLive
