Senior Congressmen Pacify Rebel Candidates

Hyderabad: Seeking to quell any dissent over ticket distribution for the forthcoming Telangana assembly polls, senior Congress leaders including Ahmed Patel and Jairam Ramesh have been put on job to persuade the disgruntled partymen to work for the party's victory.

Patel, accompanied by former union minister S Jaipal Reddy, AICC secretary Madhu Yashki Goud and the party's Telangana unit president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Wednesday night met Bikshapati Yadav who did not get the ticket to contest from the Serilingampalli constituency.

Serilingampalli seat has been allotted to TDP as part of the "grand alliance" (comprising Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti) for the elections to take on unitedly against the ruling TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti).

Jaipal Reddy told reporters that Serilingampalli has been given to a friendly party and that Yadav would have a bright future in the Congress.

Yadav, who had filed his nomination as an independent candidate, told reporters that Patel and other leaders met him and he has agreed to their request.

The last day for withdrawal of nominations is Thursday.

Ramesh met another leader who unsuccessfully tried to get a ticket for Medchal constituency. The dissenting leader has now agreed to work for the party as per Ramesh's request, party leaders said.

Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting at Medchal on Friday.

Party leaders said efforts to pacify the disgruntled leaders began several days ago with a group of senior leaders, including Karnataka minister DK Shiva Kumar and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, meeting all aspirants to persuade them to work for the Congress' win.

The Congress had said it will field candidates in 94 seats. However, Congressmen have reportedly filed nominations in 100 segments and the final picture would be clear after the withdrawal of nominations. (PTI)

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