Cong seniors jockeying for one MLC seat

Hyderabad: There is intense competition among senior leaders in the Congress for the one MLC seat that the party could win in the elections to the Legislative Council under the Assembly quota, given the numbers. According to sources, seniors like Marri Shashidhar Reddy, DK Aruna, T Jeevan Reddy, A Revanth Reddy and a few others are seeking party candidature. 

The election to the Legislative Council seats under the Assembly quota would be held on March 12, if required. The notification for the polls would be issued on February 21 and nominations could be filed up to February 28. There are five vacancies in the Council under the Assembly quota. Should only five nominations be received, all the candidates would be announced elected unopposed. 

Should six or more nominations be filed, polling would be held on March 12. The poll would be held on a single transferable vote which requires a candidate seeking election to get a certain number of votes. According to the formula to be followed in the MLC election, a candidate is required to get 21 votes.  Given the existing distribution of MLAs in the Assembly, the ruling TRS could win four and Congress one. 

The TRS has decided to field five candidates from its side and if the Congress nominee also files nomination, polling would be held. The TRS is hopeful of cross-voting from the Congress and support of the MIM legislators. Congress leaders said that their candidate could win the MLC seat only if the votes of all its 19 MLAs are polled in favour of him, along with those of two Telugu Desam MLAs. 

Cross-voting by even one MLA or the absence of one MLA would spoil the chances of the Congress candidate.  Yet, the Congress is ready to take on the challenge and has decided to field its candidate.  This being so, senior leaders have thrown in their hat into the ring and are ready to try their luck. 

Already former minister Marri Shashidhar Reddy has met Telugu Desam Party national president N Chandrababu Naidu at Amaravati, seeking his support. He is understood to have urged Naidu to ensure the two votes of Telangana Telugu Desam for him, presuming he would be nominated by the Congress for the Council polls. 

Not to be left behind, other senior leaders have stepped up their efforts to secure the nomination of Congress. DK Aruna has already pleaded with the party to give her an opportunity to contest in the MLC elections. The seniors are in contact with PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and are seeking the party ticket. The Congress would take a decision on the party candidate in the last week of this month.