There have been a number of unexpected occurrences since the second list of 45 Congress candidates for the impending Telangana elections was revealed. Which has further complicated the state’s political situation. The choice to give TPCC Working President Azharuddin the Jubilee Hills seat, where the Muslim minority has a sizable majority of the votes, was among the most unexpected ones. This choice has left some disappointment, particularly Vishnu, the son of the late PJR, a former MLA, who had aspirations of contesting from this very seat.
In a twist of fate, Vishnu’s sister, Vijaya Reddy, found herself in a more favorable position within the party’s ranks. She was granted the Khairatabad ticket, adding another layer of complexity to this political saga. P. Janardhan Reddy (PJR), their late father, had been a prominent Congress leader in the era prior to the division of the state of Telangana. He notably served as the opposition leader in the Assembly during the 1994 state elections when NTR’s Telugu Desam Party emerged victorious. However, PJR’s political influence in Hyderabad gradually dwindled after YSR took office as Chief Minister.
PJR had maintained close ties with the underprivileged community in the Jubilee Hills constituency, even though Khairatabad was a separate segment following delimitation. His passing left a void, and both his son and daughter embarked on a journey to secure his political legacy. P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy entered the political arena following the untimely demise of his father, contesting a by-election in 2004 as a Congress candidate in the Khairatabad Legislative Assembly constituency. He clinched victory with a substantial majority, marking his entry into the Assembly for the first time. His political journey continued, securing a second term as an MLA in the 2009 assembly elections.
On the other hand, Vijaya Reddy had her own political aspirations. She initially sought a Congress ticket but eventually joined the BRS party. Unfortunately, her efforts within the BRS camp did not yield the support she had hoped for, and her endeavors to secure corporators for her followers during the GHMC elections faced disappointment. Frustrated with the BRS’s attitude, Vijaya Reddy ultimately returned to the Congress, further fueling the sibling rivalry for political prominence.
In their quest to carry forward their father’s legacy, both siblings had their sights set on securing Congress tickets for Jubilee Hills and Khairatabad. However, in a twist of fate, Vijaya Reddy succeeded in securing the party’s ticket, while her brother Vishnu found himself left empty handed, adding another layer of complexity to this ongoing political drama in Telangana. The political landscape in the state remains as unpredictable as ever, and as election day approaches, all eyes will be on how these candidacies and decisions will impact the final outcome.