Hyderabad: Filing of nominations for the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana will close on Monday but hours before deadline, major political parties were still juggling their options in some of the constituencies to find better and strong candidates.

Telangana is among the states where polling will be held on April 11 in the first phase.

The internal differences in the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in at least one constituency has thrown open an opportunity for the BJP to field a strong face. Former MP G. Vivek, who was denied ticket by the TRS in Peddapalle (SC) constituency, was now likely to join the BJP and enter the fray.

Angered over the denial of ticket Vivek has not only resigned from the post of adviser to Telangana government but was all set to quit the TRS. While a minister Balka Suman said that the TRS leadership denied ticket to Vivek because of his attempt to sabotage the prospects of party candidates in the assembly elections held in December, Vivek has alleged that a campaign was launched by some party leaders to defame him and deprive him of ticket. Making his intentions of quitting TRS clear, he said: “I have come out of slavery to freedom,” he said adding that he will campaign across the state to expose TRS Chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Vivek, who is the son of veteran Dalit Congress leader late G. Venkata Swamy was elected from Peddapalle on Congress ticket in 2009 but defeated in 2014, joined the TRS. BJP leaders feel that Vivek can help them in wooing the Dalit voters in many constituencies.

Though BJP has nominated S. Kumar from Peddapalle, party sources said that it was not averse to change the candidate and prefer Vivek if he agrees to join the party.

Similarly the BJP has also not finalised its candidate for Medak constituency as it was waiting for former minister Sunitha Lakshma Reddy to take a decision. Congress leader Sunitha was in touch with the BJP leaders but has not decided her next move.

Meanwhile, the BJP has announced the name of Bhagwanth Rao from Hyderabad to take on sitting MP and MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. Advocate Bhagwanth Rao has lost the elections in Hyderabad twice in the past. While in 2004 he lost to Salahuddin Owaisi, in 2014 he was defeated by Asaduddin Owaisi. However BJP’s vote share in the last elections touched an all time high of 32 per cent against 52 per cent of Owaisi.

Meanwhile, Congress party has finally nominated fiery Renuka Chowdary from Khammam district against Nama Nageshwara Rao, who quit TDP and was now contesting on TRS ticket. Both Renuka Chowdary and Nama Nageshwara Rao belong to powerful and rich Kamma caste and have represented Khammam in Lok Sabah in the past.

Renuka Chowdary, who was elected twice from Khammam, also served as a Union Minister.

Clear battle lines will emerge in all the 17 Lok Sabha seats with the filing of nomination coming to an end and final candidates list emerging. With this the campaign will also pick up the pace with the two national parties BJP and Congress sending their top leaders to woo the voters.

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi was likely to visit Khammam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schedule was yet to be finalised. However, his visit to Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry) in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has been finalised. He will address an election rally there on April 1.