CPI-M releases first list of candidates for Telangana

The Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) has released its first list of its candidates for Telangana.

The party, which appears to have decided to go alone, Wednesday released the list of candidates for three Lok Sabha and five assembly seats.

Sameena Afroz is the party candidate for Khammam Lok Sabha seat while N. Narasimha Reddy will contest from Nalgonda parliamentary constituency. The party has named C. Seetaramulu as its candidate for Bhongir Lok Sabha seat.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) and the CPI-M have considerable presence in Khammam and Nalgonda districts. Nalgonda and Bhongir constituencies are spread over Nalgonda district. The CPI-M had won Khammam seat in 1996. Nalgonda has been a stronghold of the CPI, which won the seat five times.

The Marxist party named its candidates for five assembly seats. J. Ranga Reddy will seek re-election from Miryalguda constituency in Nalgonda district. He was the only CPI-M leader to get elected in 2009 elections in the entire Andhra Pradesh.

The CPI-M, which had contested the last elections in alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the CPI, has still not decided to ally with the CPI or any other party.

Its president for Telangana unit T. Veerabhadram had said Tuesday that it plans to contest four Lok Sabha and 17 assembly seats. He, however, said the seats would be adjusted in case of an alliance with any party.

He said CPI-M was ready to have an alliance with the TDP if the latter stays away from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The CPI-M has also asked the CPI not to have an alliance with the Congress.

Veerabhadram, however, said his party would have no objection if the CPI joins hands with TRS.

Simultaneous elections to 119 assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana are scheduled April 30.