HYDERABAD: As Thursday is the last day for filing of nominations for the June 1 elections to the four MLC seats in AP and 6 in Telangana under the MLAs’ quota, the ruling and opposition parties in both the States finalised their candidates on Wednesday.
As far as Telangana is concerned, the TRS picked ministers, Kadiam Srihari and Tummala Nageswara Rao, for two seats as both have to be elected to either of the Houses to continue in the State Cabinet. Likewise, former MLC and deputy chairperson of the Legislative Council Nethi Vidyasagar is understood to have been selected for another seat whereas the names of B Venkateswarlu (who joined the TRS from TDP), K Yadav Reddy (who shifted from Congress to TRS) and Prof Srinivas Reddy, who has been with the TRS right from its inception, are under consideration for the fourth seat. The Congress nominated former MLA Akula Lalitha for the one seat it is sure of winning after high drama with former minister and party’s Greater Hyderabad president Danam Nagender deciding to quit his post in protest against her selection. Political circles are abuzz with talk that he may join the TRS.
The TDP, expected to bag one seat with BJP’s support, is yet to select its candidate. Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu formed a three-member panel to finalise the party nominee by Thursday morning. Sources said A Narsa Reddy and Vem Narender Reddy are in the race. However, TDP leaders are not confident of winning even this seat, worried as they are, of possible cross-voting by some of their MLAs who are in touch with the TRS leadership.
In AP, of the four seats at stake, the ruling TDP, going by its Assembly strength, will win three, of which it allotted one to ally, BJP. The saffron party nominated its national executive member Somu Veeraraju, a Pawan candidate, for it. YSRC fielded DC Govinda Reddy for the lone seat it is expected to pocket.
The TDP announced the names of Jupudi Prabhakar Rao (who joined the party from the YSRC) and senior leader MA Sharif for its two seats. The party also finalised the names of Somireddy Chandra Mohan Reddy, TD Janardhana Rao, Panchumarti Anuradha and G Srinivasulu Naidu for the four MLC seats under the Governor’s quota.