HYDERABAD:Elections are in order for the MLC seats under MLA quota as the Telangana Rashtra Samiti has fielded five candidates, though it is assured of victory of only four candidates. Though the Congress and TDP have fielded one candidate each, they are worried about cross voting in favour of the ruling party.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took the decision to field the fifth candidate late Wednesday night. This decision sent a signal to the opposition that fence sitters will be a target to wrest the seat. The TRS, with the support of MIM and others, can win four seats as per their numbers in the State Assembly. But, the TRS is banking on fence sitters, more particularly those in TDP, and second preference votes for its fifth candidate to win.
The opposition, on the other hand, is planning to corner the ruling party by taking legal recourse. Terming the nomination filed by the fifth candidate by TRS as unethical, Opposition leader in Assembly K Jana Reddy said they would approach the court to ensure that the open ballot elections are held to prevent cross voting.
Questioning TRS decision to field the fifth candidate, TPCC Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the ruling party is trying to get votes of other party MLAs by luring them or pressurising them.
The Congress won 21 seats in the elections and Independent candidate from Narsampet, Danti Madhav Reddy is an associate member of the party, taking its strength to 22. However, four of its MLAs have switched loyalty to TRS taking the strength to 18, exactly the number to win the seat.
However, its plans may come undone if there is cross voting by some of its members. MLA Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, who is keeping a distance from the party, went incommunicado to party leaders and did not attend the Congress Legislature Party meeting held today. Two other MLAs Puvva Ajay and G Chinna Reddy also did not attend the meet as they are away in the US. They, however, told the party leadership that they will return by June 1, the date of voting.
The Congress, as a precautionary measure, had sought the support of Left parties and the CPI, which has one seat, reportedly assured of support to the Congress candidate. CPM’s lone member will abstain from voting, the party said. The TDP, on the other hand, won 15 seats but four of its members defected to TRS reducing its strength to 11.
It, however, has the support of BJP taking its strength to 16 and needs support of 2 more MLAs.
The countdown
Voting will be held on June 1 while the last day of withdrawal of nominations is May 25
No of vacancies under MLA quota - 6
No of nominations filed - 7
TRS - 5 (Kadiam Srihari, Tummala Nageswara Rao, K Yadav Reddy, B Venkateswarlu and Nethi Vidyasagar)
Congress - Akula Lalitha
TDP - Vem Narender Reddy
AP Poll Smooth Affair
The election for the four MLA seats under the MLAs’ quota in Andhra Pradesh is a smooth affair. However, there is a last minute twist as TDP’s proposed candidate Jupudi Prabhakar Rao had to withdraw from filing of nomination as he has no vote in AP. In place of Jupudi, TDP veteran Kavali Prathibha Bharathi filed her nomination. M A Sharif filed nomination as TDP candidate, while Pawan Kalyan’s close aide, Somu Veerraju, filed his nomination as BJP candidate with the backing of the TDP.