See List: Congress first list for Lok Sabha Polls released, 39 names declared

HYDERABAD: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) released the first list of four candidates contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in the State. A meeting was held yesterday wherein names were discussed. Another list is expected to be released over the weekend, sources said.

Suresh Kumar Shetkar has been finalized as the candidate from Zaheerabad, Raghuveer Kunduru from Nalgonda, Sunitha Mahender Reddy from Chevella and Balram Naik Porika from Mahabubabad. Challa Vamshichand Reddy’s candidature from Mahabubnagar has been kept on hold, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal said in a press release issued on Friday evening.

According to a Times of India report, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Friday released the first list of candidates for 36 Lok Sabha constituencies in the states of Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad, a seat won by him in 2019. Of the total 36 candidates announced, 15 are from Kerala, six each from Karnataka and Chhattisgarh, four from Telangana. two from Meghalaya and one each from Nagaland and Sikkim, TOI said.

Of the four names announced from Telangana, one is a woman. Patnam Sunitha Mahender Reddy will contest from Chevella Lok Sabha seat. She is the wife of former minister Patnam Mahender Reddy of the BRS. She will take on ex-MP Konda Vishveshwar Reddy of the BJP in this constituency.

K Raghuveer Reddy, son of Congress veteran K Jana Reddy has been announced from Nalgonda Lok Sabha constituency. This is the second ticket to the family, with K Jaiveer Reddy, another son of Jana Reddy contesting and winning the Nagarjuna Sagar assembly seat in the 2023-election.

Former union minister Porika Balram Naik will contest from Mahbubabad (ST reserved) constituency and Suresh Kumar Shetkar from Zahirabad. Interestingly, CWC member and AICC secretary Ch Vamshi Chand Reddy’s name for Mahbubnagar constituency has been kept on hold, the TOI report stated.