Former Minister Vivekananda Reddy called on CM N. Kiran
Kumar Reddy and urged him to consider fielding him for the Rajya Sabha
elections in April this year.
Mr. Vivekananda Reddy, who served as the Agriculture
Minister for a brief while, quit after losing the by-elections from Pulivendula
assembly constituency last year.
Subsequently, his term for the Legislative Council was not
renewed. He was in Delhi
earlier to press his case with Congress leaders for the Rajya Sabha ticket.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with the Chief
Minister, Mr. Vivekananda Reddy, who is late Y.S.R younger brother, said he
hoped that he would be considered for the RS nomination.
Six Rajya Sabha members from the State, including four from
the Congress, will be retiring in April.
They are: Dasari Narayana Rao, G. Sanjeeva Reddy, Rashid
Alvi, K. Keshava Rao (all Congress), M. V. Mysoora Reddy (Telugu Desam Party)
and Aziz Pasha (Communist Party of India).
The strength of Congress party in the Assembly is 171,
including16 of the erstwhile Praja Rajyam. But, 16 rebel Congress members are
facing disqualification bringing down the real strength of the ruling party to
155.
It can ensure victory of three candidates easily but will
have to struggle to get the fourth seat.
The Telugu Desam Party on the other can easily bag two
seats.
Race hots up
Party sources said the lobbying for Congress tickets has
already started with names of erastwhile Praja Rajyam chief K. Chiranjeevi and
Renuka Chowdary doing the rounds while Mr. Keshava Rao is making a determined
attempt to seek re-nomination.
Chiranjeevi is
confident that the Congress leadership would fulfil its promise of giving him
due position after merger of his party last year.
Ms. Renuka Chowdary, who lost the Khammam Lok Sabha seat in
2009, is using her connections in Delhi
to get the nomination.
A vocal Telangana protagonist, Dr. Keshava Rao is trying for
another term in the hope that the party could ill afford to disappoint the
people of the region by ignoring him.
A section of Telangana Congress leaders are also pitching in
his privilege.
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