Race for RS seats hots up in TDP

VIJAYAWADA: As the process of filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections began on Monday, aspirants in the TDP intensified their lobbying. Out of the three Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant from the State, the ruling TDP can bag two, going by the strength of its MLAs.

Leaders from Nellore, Chittoor, Prakasam and Kurnool districts called on Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at Velagapudi on Tuesday and urged him to provide an opportunity to party leader Beeda Mastan Rao. According to sources, the leaders, including several ministers, explained about the services of Mastan Rao to the party when it was in opposition and appealed to the CM to give a Rajya Sabha seat to him.

In support of their version, the leaders also brought up caste equations. They say that the TDP has never nominated a person from ‘Yadava’ community to the Rajya Sabha. As Mastan Rao is from Yadava community, the leaders are confident that this time the TDP will select him for a Rajya Sabha seat if the Chief Minister decides against sending Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu to the Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that leaders from Reddy community also met the Chief Minister and wanted him to provide an opportunity to a person from the community to represent the party in the Rajya Sabha.