Telangana: BCs vying for 2 MLC posts

Hyderabad: Hectic lobbying has begun ahead of the proposed BRS meeting on Wednesday for two council seats that would fall vacant on May 27. Leaders from the backward classes, particularly from the Goud community are aspiring for these seats.

Two members Farooq Hussain and D Rajeshwar Rao, who were elected under the Governor’s quota, are retiring on May 27. These two seats were represented by the leaders from the minorities’ communities (Muslim and Christian), who had got the opportunity twice in the Council. Hence, the party leaders feel that this time the pink party should accommodate backward class leaders. It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had promised to give MLC seats to some leaders who joined BRS from other parties ahead of the Munugode elections.

In the recent vacancies to three council posts, the party nominated K Naveen Rao, Deshapati Srinivas and Ch Venkatram Reddy. Now the party leaders want these two seats to go to the BCs.

The BC leaders like K Swamy Goud and D Sravan Kumar had joined BRS from BJP during the bypoll. Similarly, Congress leader B Bikshmaiah Goud from Alair in Nalgonda district also joined BRS as his followers said that he was offered a Council seat.

Sources said that Goud was told by the leadership that he would soon be rewarded. Along with these, the name of former minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao is also doing rounds. There were speculations that Rao may join another party. However, he put these speculations to rest by attending the Atmeeya Sammelans organized by the BRS recently.

The names of Telangana State Public Service Commission’s former Chairman Ganta Chakrapani, Arikela Narsa Reddy, M Narsimhulu, Gangadhar Goud and others are also doing rounds.

KCR would be extra cautious in finalizing the names of the candidates because these seats are under the Governor’s quota. With the ongoing rift between the two, and in view of the past experience when the Governor did not clear the name P Kaushik Reddy recommended by the government, KCR wants to ensure that there would be no ground for the Governor to reject the recommendations.