A.P. Council polls: Tough for Cong, TDP to finalise candidates

While Andhra Congress leaders will discuss the issue with party high-command in New Delhi, the Telugu Desam Party will finalise the list after consulting its chief Chandrababu Naidu.

With the Congress finding it difficult to finalise candidates for the biennial elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council in view of too many aspirants, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy will meet the central leadership in Delhi tomorrow in this regard.

The Chief Minister and state Congress Committee President Botsa Satyanarayana will hold talks with AICC leaders in New Delhi on Friday to finalise the party candidates for the Council election, sources said.

The politburo of Telugu Desam Party, also facing a similar situation, is meeting on Friday at Kaikaluru in Krishna district, where party chief N Chandrababu Naidu is currently on a ‘paadayatra’ (foot march), to decide its nominees.

Of the ten MLCs retiring on March 29, five are of Congress and three of TDP.

The election, if required, is slated for March 21 and the last date for filing nominations is March 11.

The YSR Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti have already announced one candidate each for the Council election.

Though the Congress is supposed to win five seats, given its actual strength of 155 in the 294-member Assembly, it is now doubtful of bagging the fifth seat as eight of its MLAs have rebelled against the party.

Four of the eight rebels have submitted their resignations to Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar but no decision has been taken on them yet.

The Congress leadership is said to be pushing for the acceptance of these resignations.

There are at least 20 contenders in the Congress for the Council seats while the retiring members are also seeking a second term.