BJP Keeping Mum About Nagarjuna Sagar Candidate

Though there is just one day left to file nominations for the upcoming Nagarjuna Sagar by-election, the Telangana unit of the BJP has still not announced its candidate for the seat.

The saffron party had earlier claimed that it would only reveal the name of its candidate after the TRS did so. However, in a surprising turn of events, it did not make the much-awaited announcement even after the ruling party declared that it would be fielding Nomula Bhagat Kumar, son of former Nagarjuna Sagar MLA Nomula Narasimhaiah, for the seat.

The aspirants of the ticket and the BJP's rivals have both been waiting for the announcement with bated breath. But it seems like they will all have to wait a little longer since the party is reportedly waiting for some leaders of the TRS disgruntled by its choice of candidate to switch over to the saffron fold. In fact, Chinnappa Reddy and Koti Reddy, both TRS leaders who were hoping to get the ticket for the by-election, are reportedly already in touch with the BJP.

There are some whispers that suggest that the party has sent two names to its high command for approval.

What has really spiced things up, however, is the fact that one leader hoping to be chosen as the party's candidate, Nivedita Reddy, has already filed her nomination papers without taking the B-form from the BJP high command.

Unfazed by all this, the BJP instead has been focused on enlisting a troop of powerful campaigners to help it clinch the Nagarjuna Sagar seat.

The 30-member team of star campaigners includes state party chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, national Vice-President D K Aruna, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, and firebrand MLAs Raja Singh and M Raghunandan Rao.