Telangana CM KCR files nomination from Gajwel

Hyderabad, Nov 9 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday filed nomination from the Gajwel Assembly constituency for November 30 elections.

After reaching Gajwel by a helicopter from Hyderabad, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief drove to the integrated office complex to file his nomination before the Returning Officer.

After filing the papers, KCR switched to a BRS campaign vehicle. He stood atop the vehicle and with local BRS leaders and waved at the people who had lined up to welcome him.

The BRS leader, who was elected from Gajwel in 2014 and 2018, is seeking re-election from the same constituency in his native Siddipet district.

He is also contesting from Kamareddy constituency in Kamareddy district. He will file a nomination from Kamareddy in the afternoon. After filing the nomination, he will also address a public meeting in the afternoon.

Like in the past, KCR had offered prayers at Venkateswara Swamy temple at Konaipally in Siddipet district. He had visited the temple on November 4 and kept his nomination papers at the feet of the deity.

In Gajwel, KCR will be facing BJP’s Eatala Rajender, who is also contesting from two constituencies. Rajender, who had joined BJP after being dropped from Cabinet by KCR in 2021 and retained Huzurabad seat in the bypoll, is also seeking re-election from Huzurabad.

The Congress party has still not announced its candidate from Gajwel.

In Kamareddy, state Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy will be taking on KCR. Revanth Reddy is also contesting from Kodangal, the constituency which he represented in the past. In 2018, Revanth had suffered defeat from Kodangal but was elected to the Lok Sabha from Malkajgiri in 2019.

In 2014, KCR was elected from Gajwel by a margin of 19,391 votes against his nearest rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). The BRS chief retained the seat in 2018 with a huge majority of 58,290 votes. His nearest rival was again Pratap Reddy, who had contested on Congress ticket. The Congress and TDP had an electoral alliance in 2018.