BJP announces first list of candidates for Telangana Assembly Elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on October 22 released its initial roster of 52 candidates for the forthcoming Telangana Assembly elections, setting the stage for an intense political showdown. Among the notable names is T Raja Singh, who recently had his suspension lifted after making controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammed. He will contest from the Goshmahal constituency, while Sanjay Kumar Bandi is set to represent the Karimnagar constituency.

In a surprising development, Rajender Eatala, a former member of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, will be running in two constituencies, Huzurabad and Gajwel. Eatala's candidacy in Gajwel pits him against his former party supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), adding an extra layer of intrigue to the contest.

Three sitting Members of Parliament are featured in the BJP's candidate list. The former Telangana President Sanjay Kumar Bandi, Bapu Rao Soyam, and Arvind Dharmapuri will join the electoral battle. Soyam will seek election from the Boath constituency, while Dharmapuri will represent the Korutla constituency.

The BJP's candidate selection process was concluded during the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting held on Friday, under the leadership of party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah were present at this crucial meeting.

In response to the BJP's candidate announcement, the opposition Congress party had released its own list of 55 candidates for the Telangana polls on October 15. Notable figures in the Congress lineup include party state unit chief Anumula Revanth Reddy, who will contest from Kodangal, and former Telangana Congress president Uttam Kumar Reddy, who will run from Huzurnagar.