Secunderabad Cantonment Constituency: Will Sayana’s goodwill help Nandita?

Hyderabad: With former corporator Lasya Nanditha, the daughter of the late G Sayanna, all set to contest on BRS ticket from Secunderabad Cantonment (SC reserved), the family’s goodwill will be an added advantage which is likely to help her smooth sailing in the upcoming Assembly polls. However, she is likely to face stiff competitors in the form of BJP and Congress candidates, some of whom are already making their mark amongst voters, besides an imminent chance of BRS partymen throwing their hat as independents (rebels). As per the latest voter list (draft) published on August 21 by Election Commission, there are over 2.4 lakh voters, including 1.18 women. The BRS, with the hope of encashing the women voters, besides sympathy factor of Sayanna’s demise earlier this year, has considered Nanditha among six contenders. Former Kavadiguda corporator is not new to politics and has remained in touch with local voters and partymen even when Sayanna was alive. In this sole SC reserved constituency of Hyderabad district, Sayanna remained a five-time MLA setting record as educated man who remained focused on people’s welfare during his lifetime. Nanditha who had won from Kavadiguda in 2016 as corporator lost to 22-year old BJP candidate Rachana Sri with a margin of 1,477 votes in 2020. Political analysts believe that even this time she may face a tough challenge from likely BJP candidate Arepally Parshuram, the general secretary of All-India Cantonment Board Employees Federation. He remains active in union activities, including fighting for issues like benefits of employees and pensioners in view of ongoing issue of excision of Civil areas from Cantonment Board. As a BJP State executive member, he not only remains active in the party, but started campaigning in areas of the constituency. Another aspirant is P Sushmita Rao, the daughter of former minister and Congress leader P Shankar Rao who represented the constituency between 2009 and 2014. She joined the party recently but aspires to get ticket. Apart from her Manne Srinivas is another aspirant who is party spokesperson. Leaders like D B Devender remain top aspirants from Congress. He was runner-up in 1999 with 65,286 votes against winning candidate Sayanna (TDP). He also contested as an independent in 2009. Nanditha may face a ‘rebel’ in the form of Sriganesh Narayan who contested on BJP ticket in 2018, but later joined BRS. He had aspired to get ticket as founder-chairman of Sriganesh Foundation. He is believed to have good outreach amongst voters through social work.