Former corporator Lasya Nanditha, daughter of the late G Sayanna, will be contesting on the BRS ticket from Secunderabad Cantonment in the upcoming Assembly polls. Her family’s goodwill is expected to give her an advantage. However, she will face tough competition from BJP and Congress candidates, as well as the possibility of BRS party members running as independent candidates.
According to the latest voter list published by the Election Commission, there are over 2.4 lakh voters in this constituency, including 1.18 lakh women. The BRS hopes to attract women voters and capitalize on the sympathy factor due to Sayanna’s passing earlier this year. Nanditha is one of six contenders from the party.
Nanditha is not new to politics and has maintained connections with local voters and party members even when her father was alive. Sayanna, who was a five-time MLA, focused on the welfare of the people during his lifetime. In the 2016 elections, Nanditha won as a corporator from Kavadiguda but lost to a BJP candidate in 2020.
Political analysts predict that Nanditha may face a tough challenge from potential BJP candidate Arepally Parshuram, who is the general secretary of All-India Cantonment Board Employees Federation. Parshuram is actively involved in union activities and has been campaigning in the constituency. Another contender is P Sushmita Rao, daughter of former minister and Congress leader P Shankar Rao, who represented the constituency from 2009 to 2014. She recently joined the party but hopes to receive a ticket. Manne Srinivas, a party spokesperson, is also aspiring for the ticket.
D B Devender, who was the runner-up in 1999 and contested as an independent candidate in 2009, is another top contender from the Congress party. Nanditha may also face competition from Sriganesh Narayan, who contested on a BJP ticket in 2018 but later joined BRS. Narayan has a good reputation among voters due to his social work.
