The Congress party has released its first list of candidates for 65 constituent seats for the upcoming Telangana assembly elections.

The state will go to polls on December 7 while the counting will be held on December 11.

Constituency Selected Candidates

Sirpur: Dr Harish Babu
Chennur (SC): Dr Venka-tesh Netha Borlakunta
Mancherial: Kokkirala Premsagar Rao
Asifabad (ST): A. Sakku
Adilabad: S. Gandrath
Nirmal: A. Maheshwar Reddy
Mudhole: Rama Rao Patel Pawar
Armoor: Akula Lalitha
Bodhan: P. SudharShan Reddy
Jukkal (SC): Soudagar Gangaram
Banswada: K. Balaraju
Kamareddy: Shabbir Ali
Jagtial: Jeevan Reddy
Ramagundam: M.S. Raj Thakur
Manthani: D. Sridhar Babu
Peddapalle: C. Vijay Ra-ma Rao
Karimnagar: Ponnam Prabhakar
Choppadandi (SC): Dr Medipally Satyam
Vemulawada: Aadi Srinivas
Manakondur (SC): Are-pally Mohan
Andole (SC): Damodar Rajanarsimha
Narsapur: V. Sunitha Laxma Reddy
Zahirabad (SC): Dr J. Geetha Reddy
Sangareddy: Jaya Prak-ash Reddy (Jagga Reddy)
Gajwel: Vanteru Pratap Reddy
Quthbullapur: Kuna Sri-sailam Good
Maheshwaram: P. Sabita Indra Reddy
Chevella (SC): K.S. Ratnam
Pargi: T. Ram Mohan Reddy
Vikarabad (SC): Gaddam Prasad Kumar
Tandur: P. Rohith Reddy
Musheerabad: M. Anil Kumar Yadav
Nampally: Mohd. Feroz Khan
Goshamahal: M. Mukesh Goud
Charminar: Mohammed Ghouse
Chandrayanagutta: Esa Binobaid Misri
Secunderabad Cantt: Sarve Satyanarayana
Kodangal: A. Revanth Reddy
Jadcherla: Mallu Ravi
Wanaparthy: Dr G. Chin-na Reddy
Gadwal: D.K. Aruna
Alampur (SC): S.A. Sam-path Kumar
Nagarkurnool: Nagam Janardhan Reddy
Achampet (SC): Ch Vamsi Krishna
Kalwakurthy: Dr Vamsi Chand Reddy
Nagarjunasagar: K. Jana Reddy
Huzurnagar: N. Uttam Kumar Reddy
Kodad: Padmavati Reddy
Suryapet: R. Damodar Reddy
Nalgonda: Komatireddy Venkata Reddy
Munugode: K. Rajagopal Reddy
Bhongir: K. Anil Kumar Reddy
Nakrekal (SC): Chiru-marthi Lingiah
Alair: B. Bikshamaiah Goud
Station Ghanpur (SC): Singapur Indira
Palakurthi: Jangha Ragava Reddy
Dornakal (ST): J. Rama-chandra Naik
Mahabubabad: Porika Balaram Naik
Narsampet: Donti Madhava Reddy
Parkal: Konda Surekha
Mulug (ST): D. Anasuya alias Seethakka
Pinapaka (ST): Raga Kantha Rao
Madira (SC): Mallu Bhat-ti Vikramarka
Kothagudem: Vanama Venkateswara Rao
Bhadrachalam (ST): Podem Veeraiah

The Congress finalised the names of the candidates after Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and state party leaders held talks with the party leadership in Delhi on Monday.

The process of filing nominations began Monday with the Election Commission issuing notification for the polls The last date for submitting nominations is November 19.

Congress has teamed up with TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) to form a “grand alliance”.

Congress had earlier announced its decision to leave 14 seats to TDP, eight to TJS and three to the CPI. However, the CPI has been pushing for at least five seats, though it said it would remain in the alliance.

It is now official. Janipalli Srinivas, who made an attempt on the life of YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy with a sharp knife at Visakhapatnam airport on October 25, did not have permission to enter into the airport longue.This was revealed by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in its reply to the letter written by YSRC Rajya Sabha member V Vijay Sai Reddy on Monday.

BCAS director general Kumar Rajesh Chandra said no permission was given to Fusion Foods owner and Telugu Desam Party leader Harshavardhan Prasad Chowdhary and accused J Srinivas to have access in the aerodrome entry point of Vishakhapatnam airport.

Srinivas had only obtained a temporary AEP (Aerodrome Entry Permit) for the period from October 1 to 30 which gave him access only till check-in area of the departure terminal.“Also, restaurant was allowed to serve food only within the premises of the restaurant, not outside the allocated area for the restaurant,” Sai Reddy said, quoting the BCAS letter.

The response clearly states that Srinivas never had permission to access the VIP lounge. It also pointed out that Srinivas’ criminal track record was also not shared to the BCAS by the restaurant owner.

“Fusion Foods had received license for catering in the departure area only of Visakhapatnam Airport. In the area of departure there was another approval specifically for setting up a restaurant,” Reddy said.

The process for conducting elections to the Telangana assembly began on Monday with the issuance of an official gazette notification by the Election Commission authorities and the filing of nominations has commenced at 11 am.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has already issued B forms to his party’s 107 candidates even before the issuance of notification so that they can start filing nominations according to their convenience.

However, suspense continues with regard to alliance partners of Maha Kootami – Congress, Telugu Desam Party, Telangana Jana Samithi and CPI.

Though they declared on Sunday night that the Maha Kootami exists and the seat sharing deal has been sealed, they are still hesitating to declare the seats.

Interestingly, all the four alliance partners are leaking the names of the constituencies and candidates to the media, they are not officially releasing the same, fearing that it might result in flaring up of rebellion in their respective parties.

The Congress has leaked the names of 74 candidates, mostly known names, but officially withheld the list indicating that there could be last minute changes.

The TDP has finalised a list of 12 contestants from different constituencies including that of Nama Nageshwara Rao from Khammam, S Venkata Veeraiah from Sattupalli, Revuri Prakash Reddy from Warangal (West), Kothakota Dayakar Reddy from Makthal, T Veerender Goud from Uppal and Mandava Venkateshwara Rao from Nizamabad Rural. However, the list is not officially out.

The TJS, too, has finalised the eight seats – Medak, Dubbak, Siddipet, Malkajgiri, Jangaon, Wardhannapet, Ramagundam and Warangal (East). It has not released the list hoping to get another two seats.

The CPI was given three seats – Wyra, Bellampalli and Husnabad, but it wants two more seats – Kothagudem and Munugode and unless there is clarity, it also won’t release its list.

So, wait for some more time to clear the suspense!

People who would be participating in the marathon padayatra of YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy would be missing a big opportunity hereafter: taking selfies with the leader.

A decision has been taken by the party leaders on the suggestions from his security authorities. This was in the wake of the knife attack on his life by a restaurant worker Janipalli Srinivas at Visakhapatnam airport on October 25.

All through his journey for over 3,000 km, Jagan had been happily obliging the requests from the people for a selfie with him.

Especially women folk, students and youth used to request him for a selfie with him and Jagan used to take their mobiles and click the picture with them. Perhaps, he might have taken lakhs of selfies with his fans during his year-long padayatra.

However, following the knife-attack on him, the police have requested him not to oblige the requests for selfies with unknown people.

The police stepped up security cover for Jagan and a rope party with 50 police on either side so that nobody could approach him.

Only those with security identity cards can enter into the rope and walk along with Jagan. For that, they have to apply for ID cards well in advance and they would be issued in consultation with the party leaders accompanying him.

While there would be an aerial surveillance for him with drone cameras, security personnel with body-wear cameras are also accompanying him, keeping a watch on those who come to meet him.

The video footage from the drones and body cameras would be simultaneously scanned in the control room.

May be the new rules might be an irritant to the YSRC leaders, activists and also people who come to see him, but the police are not taking any chances in view of the Vizag incident.