Congress to put onus on MLAs, MPs for winning Graduate MLC seats

Hyderabad: The Congress has announced its candidates for the two Graduate MLC constituencies — Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahbubnagar (HRM) and Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal (NKW) — and is preparing to mobilise its organisational network and elected representatives for the elections scheduled for March 2027.

According to party sources, the Congress is taking the Graduate MLC elections prestigiously and is likely to entrust MLAs, MLCs and MPs with coordinating the campaign and securing support across the six erstwhile districts covered by the two constituencies. DCC presidents, corporation chairpersons and other public representatives, including sarpanches, are also expected to be involved.

The Congress has substantial strength among elected representatives across the three erstwhile districts comprising the NKW constituency. It has 11 MLAs and two MPs in erstwhile Nalgonda, eight MLAs and two MPs in Khammam, and 10 MLAs and two MPs in Warangal. The party has 29 of the 34 Assembly seats across the three districts. It may also get the support of its friendly party CPI, which has one MLA and one MLC in the constituency.

The Congress also has Ministers representing the three erstwhile districts and the support of CPI representatives. Party leaders are expected to coordinate with elected representatives and organisational leaders to reach graduate voters in support of Congress candidate Ramreddy Sarvotham Reddy. Party sources feel coordinated efforts by MLAs, MLCs and MPs would strengthen the campaign.

The political arithmetic is different in the HRM constituency, where the BRS has a sizeable Assembly presence. The Congress has 18 MLAs among the 43 Assembly constituencies covering the three erstwhile districts. The party has Chief Minister, three Ministers and the Speaker from the constituency and is expected to work harder to secure victory for its candidate.

According to party sources, the Congress also has the support of seven AIMIM MLAs and five BRS MLAs who have joined the party. In erstwhile Mahbubnagar, the Congress has 12 MLAs and one MP, while it has no MP from erstwhile Hyderabad and Rangareddy.

Congress represents Pargi, Vikarabad and Tandur, while Ibrahimpatnam is represented by Malreddy Ranga Reddy.

In erstwhile Hyderabad, the BRS, AIMIM, Congress and BJP have representation, with five, seven, two and one seats respectively. In erstwhile Rangareddy, the BRS retains significant presence, with MLAs representing Medchal, Malkajgiri, Quthbullapur, Kukatpally, Uppal, LB Nagar, Maheswaram, Rajendranagar, Serilingampally and Chevella. The Congress is expected to involve MLAs, MPs, MLCs, DCC presidents, corporation chairpersons and other local representatives in grassroots outreach and mobilisation of eligible graduate voters.

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Venkateshwarlu Kolishetty

Venkateshwarlu Kolishetty