HYDERABAD: The election to the post of Telangana Assembly deputy speaker is likely to be held during the upcoming Assembly session.
According to Congress leaders privy to the matter, the party high command has instructed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud to complete the process at the earliest.
Congress sources say that Devarakonda MLA Balu Naik has emerged as the frontrunner for the post.
The Congress had earlier announced Dornakal MLA Ramchander Naik as its candidate for the deputy speaker’s post, but the election was never held.
Sources said Ramchander Naik has been expecting a Cabinet berth and is currently serving as a whip. However, there has been no indication from the party high command regarding Cabinet expansion. They added that the high command was unhappy over the delay in conducting the deputy speaker election despite the party announcing its candidate more than a year ago.
Against this backdrop, the name of Balu Naik, a second-term MLA, gained prominence within the party as the likely choice for the post. Sources said that if Balu Naik is not willing to accept the position, the party may consider another MLA from the Scheduled Tribe or Backward Classes communities for the Deputy Speaker’s post.