Telangana Congress working president T. Jagga Reddy strongly backed Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s early preparations for the next Assembly elections, saying the CM had already begun implementing a strategy aimed at winning 117 Assembly seats in Telangana.

In an interaction with reporters, Mr. Jagga Reddy said the Congress leadership was united behind Mr. Revanth Reddy’s vision and decisions. “The Chief Minister has started his game plan for the elections. His strategies are aimed at ensuring the Congress returns to power with a stronger mandate,” he said, adding that party leaders shared a common understanding of Mr. Revanth Reddy’s political approach.

The Chief Minister had every right to take decisions necessary to secure a second consecutive term for the Congress government, he said. He asserted that no sitting MLA should assume a ticket was guaranteed, remarking that in politics no individual remained indispensable forever. The final decision on selection of candidates would rest with the Chief Minister, the TPCC president and the AICC in-charge.

Mr. Jagga Reddy reiterated that he had only stated he would not contest from Sangareddy and had never ruled out contesting from another constituency. On speculation over a possible contest against senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao, he said he was prepared to contest from Siddipet if directed by the Congress high command.

He dismissed the significance of political surveys, saying every agency conducted surveys favourable to its own interests and there was no need for party workers to worry about such reports being claimed by the BRS.