HYDERABAD: After facing defeat in the Huzurabad bypoll, it is to be seen whether TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will rethink the selection of candidates, or nominate old guards like Gutha Sukhender Reddy and others again for the MLC polls.
Rao might already have considered some names for the six vacant MLC seats under MLA quaotas. However, the bypoll results may make him revise the list, keeping the caste equations in mind. The ruling TRS implemented the Dalit Bandhu scheme for SCs and also fielded a BC in the Huzurabad bypoll.
The last date for filing nominations to the six MLC seats is November 16. The TRS will win all these seats, based on its strength in the Assembly, unanimously. However, the problem before the TRS chief is that there are over 50 leaders in the party, who are aspiring to be nominated to the State Legislative Council. Rao can accommodate only six of them.
CM has promises to keep
Whether Rao considers the name of Gellu Srinivasa Yadav, who was defeated in Huzurabad, remains to be seen. During the previous elections, like the Nagarjunasagar bypoll, Rao had assured around half a dozen leaders that they would be sent to the Council. For instance, he had assured to send TRS leader MC Kotireddy to the Council after the victory of TRS candidate Nomula Bhagath in the Nagarjunasagar bypoll. Similar assurances were given to other leaders too.
Apart from this, both the chairman and deputy chairman posts are vacant in the Council as Gutha Sukhender Reddy and Nethi Vidyasagar demitted the offices in June. Whether Rao will consider their names again, or select other leaders for the coveted posts is now a billion-dollar-question among party leaders.
Besides, several senior leaders like former minister Kadiam Srihari, former Hyderabad Mayors Teegala Krishna Reddy and Bonthu Rammohan, former ministers L Ramana and E Peddi Reddy, who recently joined TRS before the Huzurabad bypoll, CM secretary Desapathi Srinivas, former minister Jupally Krishna Rao and some others are aspiring for the MLC post.
As there are only six vacancies now, Rao may convince some leaders to wait till January. As many as 12 MLCs elected from local authorities’ constituencies, including Kalvakuntla Kavitha from Nizamabad segment, will demit the office in January, 2022. Rao may accommodate some of the aspirants in these 12 seats, for which the election will be held in January, 2022.
Veterans or new faces? Suspense over coveted posts
Both the chairman and deputy chairman posts are vacant in the Council as Gutha Sukhender Reddy and Nethi Vidyasagar demitted the offices in June. Whether Rao will consider their names again, or select other leaders for the coveted posts is now a billion-dollar-question