Congress Could Wrest Station Ghanpur, Jangaon From TRS

Station Ghanpur is an SC reserved constituency in the Telangana legislative assembly.  Located in Janagaon District, it comprises Ghanpur (Station), Velair, Raghunathpalle, Dharmasagar, Lingalaghanpur and Zafargarh mandals.

Station Ghanpur was represented by Thatikonda Rajaiah, of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) who served as a minister for some time in the KCR cabinet. With corruption allegations swirling around him, he was eased out of the TRS cabinet. In 2014,he won with a substantial majority of 58829 over Congress candidate Vijaya Rama Rao,who got 44,833 votes from an electorate of 2,17,756.

The Congress fielded Singapuram Indira, while the BJP fielded Peramandla Venkateshwarlu against the TRS, Thatikonda Rajaiah ahead of December 7 Assembly polls. Initially Rajaiah’s candidature was opposed by the party

workers of this constituency.  Congress is hoping for a clear victory  here in the wake of allegations of corruption against the TRS candidate earlier . Some analysts therefore, see the renomination of Rajaiah by the TRS as a weak move, while others tend to feel that with the entry of AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu into the picture, and with fears of his involvement in Telangana elections, the TRS could regain lost ground. Moreover, Rythu Bandhu may have worked to the KCR government's advantage in terms of optics, they say.


Jangaon is a key constituency in terms of its profile in the Telangana Legislative assembly. It is a part of Janagaon district and comprises Jangaon
Cherial ,Bachannapet,Narmetta and Maddur mandals.

Jangaon was represented by MuthiReddy Yadagiri Reddy of the Telangana Rastra Samithi(TRS),in the previous assembly. In 2014, he won with a majority of 32,695 over Congress candidate Ponnala Laxmaiah,who got 51,379 votes from an electorate of 2,07,028. Congress has fielded its heavyweight, former minister and PCC chief Ponnala Laxmaiah, who represented the seat for four terms against TRS Candidate Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy.

Jangaon assumes significance in the December 07 polls because of the tussle between the Mahakutami partners over the seat. Till the last minute, it was speculated that the seat would be given to Professor Kondandaram's outfit, TJS. In the end, with BCs giving vent to their feelings that they got a raw deal in ticket distribution, the Congress high command gave the ticket to Ponnala, who broke down while speaking to the media at the time of filing his nomination.
The TRS candidate Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy will have to ride over the anti-incumbency tide in the area in order to get past Ponnala. As things stands, this appears to be a tall order.

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