Telangana Rashtrea Samithi (TRS) is in for trouble for selecting an ousider Ibrahim as its candidate for the ensuing Mahboobnagar assembly constituency bypoll. Though TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao himself is the incumbent MP from Mahboobnagar, it may not be a cakawalk for the TRS to win the assembly seat in the upcoming March 18 by-election.

The TRS has named Syed Ibrahim as its candidate for the high-profile bypoll much to the chagrin of local party cadre even as Congress and TDP look to do everything they can to win the coveted seat. The TDP's candidate for the seat is former minister K Chandra Sekhar. And, the Congress, even though undecided on its candidate, has at least a dozen aspirants expressing their wish to fight the bypoll. The Mahbubnagar Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of independent candidate Rajeshwar Reddy last year. Although the name of Vijayalakshmi, spouse of the deceased Congress associate member, is doing the rounds, District Congress Committee president Muthyala Prakash and former municipal chairman Obeidullah Kotwal are fancying their chances.

The TRS candidate is considered an 'outsider' as he hails from Shadnagar and that perception could work against the party which is leaving no stone unturned to project the coming verdict as a vote for a separate Telangana sentiment. Sources said that TRS wants to cash in on the minority vote and, hence, the ticket to Ibrahim. Political leaders, who have recently switched over to TRS from parties like the Congress and TDP, are unhappy over Ibrahim's choice. "The party leadership has neglected us and given the ticket to Ibrahim, an outsider. The party has forgotten our sacrifices and named Ibrahim without taking the local leaders and its cadre into confidence," lamented a senior TRS leader who did not want to be identified.

Imtiyaz Ishaq, a local minority community heavyweight who recently switched over to TRS from Congress along with former Congress minister Jupalli Krishna Rao, was a strong contender for the seat as was Srinivas Goud. Some of the disgruntled TRS leaders have openly declared that they would not campaign for Ibrahim. "TRS is in for a big trouble were the party cadre to boycott canvassing for Ibrahim," remarked a political observer.