The BJP in Telangana is likely to announce the first set of candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in the state, in a day or two. Party spokesperson Krishna Sagar Rao on Friday, said, “Most likely we may announce the first set of contesting candidates tomorrow or day after tomorrow. We are hoping to announce 25 to 30 names in the first tranche. The number may vary but announcement of candidates will be done in a day or two”. Rao is also spearheading the election committee and has been involved in the screening of candidates.
He also said that about on an average five “worthy requests” from applicants per constituency have already been received by the party.
Unlike last time, BJP has decided to go alone in the polls this time.Party chief Amit Shah time and again clarified that the party will not have any alliance in Telangana. In the 2014 poll, the party had bagged five seats in alliance with the TDP, which won in 15 constituencies.
BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao, former minister and sitting MP of Secunderabad Bandaru Dattatreya, former MLA G Kishan Reddy and MLC N Ramachandra Rao are among the 14 members of the party’s Election Committee, according to the list by the party sources.
BJP legislators Raja Singh and Chintala Ramachandra Reddy from the dissolved assembly however, did not figure in the list.
Congress party is also yet to release its manifesto and candidates list. AICC In-charge of Telangana R C Khuntia said the Congress manifesto was in final stage of preparation and would be released soon after its approval by the party’s central manifesto committee.
The incumbent TRS is the first party to release its list of candidates and election manifesto in the state. The state will go to polls on December 7.