There were a couple of surprises, including sitting Rajya Sabha Member Banda Prakash and former cricketer Padi Kaushik Reddy, in the list of candidates picked by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) for six MLC seats certain to be retained unopposed in the MLAs’ quota.
However, as expected, TRS has also announced the candidature of P. Venkatarami Reddy, who on Monday resigned from service and as District Collector of Siddipet, the home district of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, among the names finalised for as many vacancies in the MLAs’ quota in the Legislative Council.
Other leaders who found favour with the TRS leadership for the MLC seats are former Chairman of the Legislative Council Gutha Sukender Reddy, former Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari, who are also the outgoing members in the same quota, and party leader Takkallapalli Ravinder Rao.
The selection of Mr. Prakash has come a big surprise for many, including those in the party, as his Rajya Sabha term expires only in April 2024. He belongs to the same backward classes’ community as that of former minister Eatala Rajender, who got re-elected from Huzurabad recently on BJP ticket after being removed from the State Cabinet in May this year.
A native of Warangal, Mr. Prakash is tipped to be inducted into the State Cabinet soon to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Rajender’s removal.
Interestingly, Mr. Kaushik Reddy has been picked up by the party despite the fact that the State Cabinet had unanimously recommended his name to the Upper House of the State Legislature under the Governor’s Quota only a few months back. The file is still pending with the Governor, who recently said that she needs more time to go through his nomination.
All the six candidates went to the Legislature Secretariat immediately after the announcement of their candidatures and filed their nomination papers for MLC seats in the MLAs’ quota. Ministers K. T. Rama Rao, T. Harish Rao and others were also present on the occasion. Later, they were complimented by party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao before the start of Legislature Party meeting at the party office – Telangana Bhavan.
The biennial election to the six MLC seats in the MLAs’ quota has been necessitated following retirement of Akula Lalitha, Mohammed Fareeduddin, G. Sukender Reddy, Nethi Vidyasagar, Bodakunti Venkateshwarlu and K. Srihari on June 6 this year on completing their term. However, the election could not be held in time due to COVID-19 pandemic situation.
The TRS leadership did not pick four of the outgoing members, Ms. Lalitha, Mr. Fareeduddin, Mr. Vidyasagar and Mr. Venkateshwarlu. Meanwhile, the notification for filling 12 MLC seats in the Local Authorities’ Constituency (LAC) quota, falling vacant on January 4 next, has been issued on Tuesday.
