BRS Scrambles for Candidate After Danam Nagender Disqualification

HYDERABAD: The battle lines are being drawn in Khairatabad. With Danam Nagender disqualified by the Telangana High Court, the BRS is now looking for a candidate capable of taking on the Congress leader if a byelection is held, with several names being discussed within the party. For the pink party, Khairatabad is not just another byelection — it’s a do-or-die battle. Win, and the party signals it’s still a force in Telangana. Lose, and the cadre stares at a crisis. However, Nagender has approached the Supreme Court against the HC verdict, leaving the possibility of a byelection subject to the outcome of the legal process. Even as the case is being fought in court, discussions have begun within the BRS over who could be its candidate and what political strength the nominee would bring to the contest. Nagender has a long political association with Hyderabad. He was elected as an MLA from the Telugu Desam Party, Congress and BRS at different points since 1994. He also won Khairatabad on a BRS ticket in 2023 before joining the Congress. His experience and network in the constituency and other parts of the city are among the factors being considered by the BRS while assessing potential candidates. BRS leaders are discussing several names, including MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar, who contested the Khairatabad seat as a Congress candidate in 2018 and is considered familiar with the constituency. Sources said his name has emerged as one of the options being examined by the party. Another proposal under discussion is to field a former minister who has represented one of the Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad several times and belongs to the Backward Class, sources said.