Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan-CM KCR rift: BRS yet to zero in on MLC nominees
CM KCR, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan
Hyderabad: Strained relations between Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao have halted the process of the finalisation of candidates for the two MLC seats under the Governor’s quota. The BRS chief, who faced a bitter experience when Padi Kaushik Reddy’s name was forwarded to the Raj Bhavan, is consuming more time to send the proposals to the Governor’s office.
The term of the two council members, including Farooq Hussain and D Rajeshwar Rao, has ended on May 27. Sources said that the delay was because of the queries by the governor’s office. The BRS does not want to take chances. If KCR had decided about the candidature, he would have announced the names after the recent Cabinet meeting, but it was not done, a senior party leader said.
Sources said that the BRS chief was checking the track records of leaders who don’t have any criminal cases against them. Last time the Governor with-held the candidature of Kaushik Reddy for more than three months because of some cases pending against him.
KCR was also looking at the caste and religious equations for finalising the candidates. The two retiring members are from Muslim and Christian minority communities, who had got two terms. Besides this, the BRS chief had promised seats to leaders from backward caste communities, especially during the Munugode by-elections. Sources said that he was analysing who would benefit the party in the ensuing Assembly elections to be held at year-end. However, scores of BRS leaders are eyeing the council berths.
Many names are doing rounds: former Council chairman K Swamy Goud, former MLA B Bikshamaiah Goud, Karne Prabhakar, D Sravan Kumar, Tummala Nageswara Rao, former TSPSC chairman G Chakrapani, Rapolu Anand Bhaskar, Arikela Narsa Reddy.
Even some Christian leaders are also trying their luck as they have been meeting KCR and presenting their case. Christian leaders Roydin Roach and Vidya Sravanti’s names are doing rounds.