HYDERABAD: Congress candidates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vem Narender Reddy on Thursday filed nominations for the two vacant seats to the Upper House from Telangana and their election is more or less a certainty.
Independent candidate Kante Sayanna also filed one set of nomination papers despite not having the required number of MLAs to support his candidature. His nomination is likely to be rejected during scrutiny on Friday. With no other candidates in the fray, the Congress nominees are set to be elected unopposed.
Singhvi filed three sets of nomination papers, while Narender Reddy filed four. Singhvi’s present term will end on April 9, and the Congress has renominated him to the Rajya Sabha. The second vacancy arises as the term of BRS member KR Suresh Reddy ends on April 6, for which the Congress has fielded Narender Reddy.
The BRS did not field a candidate as it lacked the required numbers in the Assembly after 10 of its 37 MLAs allegedly shifted allegiance to the Congress.
BRS strength to drop to three
Having not fielded a candidate, the BRS strength in the Rajya Sabha from Telangana will fall from four to three, while the Congress tally will rise from three to four out of the state’s seven seats.
Singhvi, a senior advocate, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Telangana in August 2024. Narender Reddy, a former MLA from Mahbubabad, is currently Adviser (Public Affairs) to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. He earlier worked with Revanth Reddy in the TDP before joining the Congress.
Along with the chief minister, TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar and several MLAs and MLCs were present when the nominations were filed. Speaking to reporters later, Mahesh Kumar said, “I thank Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for nominating two good leaders to the Rajya Sabha.”
Singhvi said, “I thank the high command for giving me a second opportunity from Telangana to become a Rajya Sabha member. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is youthful, energetic and dynamic, and I hope he continues in office for many years.”
Narender Reddy said, “I thank the party leadership for giving me this opportunity. I will raise issues relating to the state in the Rajya Sabha and seek the required funds from the Centre.”