TRS to conduct mock polling for RS seats

 Hyderabad: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLAs will undergo mock polling at Telangana Bhavan on Tuesday after Assembly session as four candidates are in fray for the three vacant Rajya Sabha Seats from the city. 

The TRS MLAs would assemble at the party office on Tuesday evening after the Assembly session concludes. The party leaders said the members would be explained about who should get the most second preference votes. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao entrusted the job of overseeing the Rajya Sabha polls to Ministers K Srihari, T Harish Rao, G Jagdish Reddy and others. 

The Election Commission had notified for filling up of three Rajya Sabha seats from Telangana. The TRS fielded three candidates as per its strength in the Assembly J Santosh, B Lingaiah Yadav and B Prakash Mudiraj. The Congress party had fielded Balram Naik. The last date for the withdrawal of nomination ended on March 15 and still there are four candidates in fray for the three seats resulting in polling on March 23. 

In order to get prepared for the Rajya Sabha polls, the ruling party decided to take up mock polling to ensure there are no errors. The members would be explained on how to vote and who should be given the maximum second preferential votes. The second preference votes are likely to get importance and the candidate who gets more second preference votes would have upper hand. 

The ruling TRS has strength of 91 (with several MLAs shifting loyalties) and seven MLAs from the MIM have already pledged their support to the ruling party. The Congress party has been left with only 12 out of the 23 members it had earlier (two dead and party lost seats in by-polls), two disqualified and seven joined TRS), the TDP has three, BJP five, CPM one.

According to TRS, the three candidates would win the elections. A senior leader of the party said the Congress members who shifted loyalties would also vote for TRS because there is no harm even if they go against the whip issued by the parties. “The Congress members at the most may get suspended or expelled from the party, but this will not affect their membership,” said the TRS leader.