MLC polls: TRS candidates file papers

Hyderabad: Telangana State Legislative Council former Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, former Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari, Rajya Sabha member Banda Prakash, Padi Kaushik Reddy, Thakkellapalli Ravinder Rao and former IAS officer P Venkatrami Reddy filed their nominations as TRS candidates for the biennial elections to six MLC seats under MLAs’ quota. TRS president and Chief […]

Hyderabad: Telangana State Legislative Council former Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, former Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari, Rajya Sabha member Banda Prakash, Padi Kaushik Reddy, Thakkellapalli Ravinder Rao and former IAS officer P Venkatrami Reddy filed their nominations as TRS candidates for the biennial elections to six MLC seats under MLAs’ quota.

TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao finalised their candidatures here on Tuesday following which the candidates rushed to the State Legislative Assembly to submit their respective nominations on the last day of filing nomination. Polling for the biennial elections is scheduled to be held on November 29.

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Election of all the six TRS candidates is likely to be unopposed as no candidate from other parties have filed their papers so far as they have no sufficient strength in the Assembly to get a candidate elected.

The TRS president held a brainstorming session with the party leaders, including TRS working president and Minister KT Rama Rao, Finance Minister T Harish Rao and others. While Sukhender Reddy and Kadiyam Srihari were retained, all others are contesting for the MLC seats for the first time. TRS general secretary and Telangana State Cooperative Apex Bank chairman Ravinder Rao was also selected for the MLC seat, in recognition for his services to the party.

Former Congress leader P Kaushik Reddy who joined TRS and worked hard for the election of TRS candidate Gellu Srinivas Yadav in Huzurabad bypoll, also secured MLC seat. His nomination to Council under Governor’s quota was not cleared by Raj Bhavan.

Thus, the TRS has decided to send him to the Council under MLAs’ quota. Former Siddipet District Collector P Venkatrami Reddy, who resigned to the post on Monday, too got an opportunity to contest as MLC.

The six MLC seats under MLAs’ quota fell vacant on June 3 this year and the elections scheduled to be held in May were postponed in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. The election notification was released on November 9. The polling will be held from 9 am to 4 pm on November 29, followed by counting of votes from 5 pm onwards and the results will be announced immediately thereafter. The elections will be held in strict adherence to Covid-19 protocol.

Meanwhile, notification for election of 12 MLCs under Local Authorities’ Constituencies was issued here on Tuesday. While the last date for submission of nominations is November 23, the polling will be held on December 10. The term of 12 sitting TRS MLC seats will expire on January 3, 2022. The TRS leadership is confident of retaining all these 12 seats, considering its strong presence in both urban and rural local bodies.

Banda Prakash, a surprise nominee

Known for his brilliant strategies, TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao sprang a surprise for all by selecting sitting Rajya Sabha member Banda Prakash for the MLC seat under MLAs’ quota. Though his term will expire in April 2024, Prakash was asked by the TRS president to contest for the MLC seat.

Sources said Prakash would soon resign to his Rajya Sabha membership, following his election to the State Legislative Council. A native of Warangal, Prakash is tipped to be accommodated in the State Cabinet soon to fill the existing vacancy following the removal of former Minister Eatala Rajender from the post. Prakash belongs to the same backward classes’ community as that of the former Minister, who got re-elected from Huzurabad constituency recently on behalf of BJP. Speculations are rife that Prakash is likely to be replaced by a TRS senior leader in Rajya Sabha.

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