MLC elections and nominations: Will Congress practice what it preaches?

With Graduate MLC elections approaching and nominated MLC terms ending, lobbying has begun within the Telangana Congress for seats under the Graduate and Governor quotas. This comes amid Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s call for greater representation of youngsters

Hyderabad: With Graduates Constituency Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections approaching and the terms of a few nominated MLCs set to end later this year, curiosity is growing in Gandhi Bhavan and political circles over whether the Congress will practise what it preaches.

This is particularly after Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy stressed the need to give the Gen Z generation greater representation in legislative bodies, including State Legislative Assemblies, Legislative Councils, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

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The terms of nominated MLCs Goreti Venkanna, Boggarapu Dayanand and Basavaraju Saraiah will end in November this year. Likewise, the terms of Teenmaar Mallanna, who represents the Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam Graduates constituency, and Surabhi Vani Devi, who represents the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Graduates constituency, will end in March 2027.

However, contrary to the Chief Minister’s views, several senior Congress leaders are eyeing the Graduate MLC seats and nominations under the Governor’s quota. Though the Congress is yet to begin the process of identifying candidates for the Graduate constituencies and Governor’s quota nominations, lobbying has already begun.

The names of CWC Special Invitee Vamshichand Reddy, TPCC official spokesperson Sama Ram Mohan Reddy, Nalgonda DCC president Punna Kailash and State Dairy Development Cooperative Federation Limited chairman Gutha Amith Reddy are doing the rounds.

Meanwhile, the proposed Cabinet expansion and reshuffle has also triggered speculation in Gandhi Bhavan. A few legislators, particularly from the younger generation, are keeping their fingers crossed in the hope that the Chief Minister will promote younger legislators, in line with his recent emphasis on greater representation for the younger generation.

Addressing a candlelight rally on July 25, he assured that the Assembly session would be conducted in the first week of August. However, there has been no official announcement on the session so far. The Chief Minister said the government would pass a resolution seeking relaxation of the minimum age to enable individuals to contest elections to the Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha at 21, and the Legislative Council and Rajya Sabha at 25.

The minimum age for becoming a Rajya Sabha or Legislative Council member is 30 years. For the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly, it is 25 years.

Opposition parties are also demanding that the Chief Minister practise what he preaches. They are accusing him of being very well aware that reducing the age for Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Members was under the Central government’s domain. Through these assertions, the Chief Minister was trying to garner the support of youngsters, they charged. Whether the Congress will deliver on its assurances has become a subject of debate in political circles.