HYDERABAD: Lobbying for berths in the Telangana Legislative Council and nominated posts has begun. Several leaders are busy using their contacts in the party high command to corner the coveted sinecures. The leaders include those who lost in the recent Assembly elections. They are wondering if they could be taken into the Council and if possible a berth in the state Cabinet if everything goes their way.
Two former ministers and four aspirants who could not get Assembly tickets are hopeful that the party would accommodate them in the Council. The rush to Delhi by leaders who did not contest has increased with the party reluctant to take those who lost the Assembly elections into the Council or the Cabinet.
After Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy declared that AICC in-charge Manikrao Thakre and AICC secretaries would decide who should be appointed to which nominated post, the hopefuls are pulling strings in Delhi.
They are reminding the AICC observers of their promise of appointing them to nominated posts if the party came to power. They are gently telling them that it is now payback time. Then some leaders want to be considered for Lok Sabha seats. They too have begun lobbying for tickets with the party’s prospects being buoyant.