Hyderabad: BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is learnt to have finalised the candidature of Challa Venkatrami Reddy, Tummala Nageshwar Rao and Kurumaiahgari Naveen Rao for three Legislative Council seats from the MLAs quota. They are expected to be elected unopposed.
The Election Commission of India issued poll notification for three MLC seats under MLAs’ quota on Monday
The elections are being held to replace vacancies to be caused by the retirement of Alimineti Krishna Reddy, Vullolla Gangadhar Goud and Kurumaiahgari Naveen Kumar on March 29.
Only Naveen Kumar, elected in a bypoll in May 2019, is expected to return to the Council. He had taken the place of Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao who was elected Malkajgiri MLA in December 2018.
Venkatrami Reddy is the grandson of former President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. He was elected as an Independent MLA from Alampur constituency in 2004, and supported the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy government.
He joined the BRS on December 9 last in the presence of Chandrashekar Rao. At that time, there were speculation that the CM had promised him the Council seat.
Nageswara Rao’s nomination has come after twists and turns. He quit the TD to join the BRS (then TRS) in September 2014 and Chandrashekar Rao inducted him into his Cabinet in January 2015.
Nageswara Rao was subsequently nominated as MLC in the MLAs’ quota.
He was then fielded in the Palair Assembly bypoll in May 2016, which he won. He lost in the 2018 polls. The BRS then Palair MLA K. Upender Reddy, who had defeated Nageswara Rao, into the party. Since then Nageswara Rao has remained inactive amid speculation that he might quit the party.
Finance minister T. Harish met him ahead of the BRS Khammam meet and persuaded him to stay with the BRS. He reportedly conveyed the CM’s decision to nominate Nageswara Rao as MLC under MLAs’ quota.
As per the EC schedule, the last date for nominations is March 13, scrutiny the next day and the last date for withdrawal is March 16. Polling if necessary will be held on March 23.
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