VIJAYAWADA: Putting an end to suspense, the YSRC on Monday announced the names of its Member of Legislative Council (MLC) candidates to be elected under MLA quota. The YSRC nominated minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, former IPS officer Sheik Mohammad Iqbal and former MLA Challa Ramakrishna Reddy as its candidates for the MLC by-election.
Ramana was inducted into YS Jagan Mohan Reddy cabinet on June 8 despite losing Assembly election from Repalle. He has now been nominated to the Council to fulfil the constitutional obligation. He had to get elected from either an Assembly constituency or should have a representation in Council within six months to continue as minister. Given these circumstances, Venkataramana was the obvious choice for one of the vacant seat, party leaders said.
The other leader who will represent the party in the Council will be former IPS officer Md Iqbal. The former IPS officer contested from Hindupur assembly ticket but lost the election. On the Ramzan festival day celebrations, Jagan announced that Iqbal will be elected to the Council as he was the only Muslim candidate who had lost on the party ticket. The YSRC gave tickets to five Muslim leaders and of them four have won, barring Iqbal, who lost to actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna. Interestingly, while the promise was made on Ramzan, his candidature was officially announced on Bakrid.
There were many aspirants for the three seats and though it was clearly evident that Mopidevi Venkataramana and Iqbal will be the obvious choice, there was race for the remaining one seat. Several party leaders, who were with the party since its inception and those who joined the party before the elections, were in the race.
Jagan to leave for US on August 15
AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will leave for the US on August 15 on a personal visit and return to the State on August 24. According to sources, after participating in the Independence Day celebrations, he will leave for Hyderabad and from there for the US with family