Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll : Following TRS victory, KCR likely to focus on selection of MLCs

HYDERABAD: With the victory of TRS candidate in Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly bypoll by a huge margin of votes, TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is now expected to focus on the selection of MLC candidates.

As many as seven MLCs will demit their posts in June. Rao, during the Nagarjuna Sagar campaign, had assured that TRS leader MC Kotireddy would be sent to the Council after the victory of TRS candidate Nomula Bhagath.

Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy and Deputy Chairman Nethi Vidyasagar are among seven MLCs who will demit office in June. Since both of them belong to Nalgonda district, if Kotireddy too is sent to the Council, Nalgonda will then have three MLCs.

It remains to be seen whether the CM will renominate Gutha and Vidyasagar to the Council, while giving three MLCs only for Nalgonda district. If Kotireddy is sent to the Council, there will be an intense competition among the TRS leaders for the remaining six seats.

As the TRS has sufficient number in the Assembly, it can easily bag all six MLC seats under MLAs quota. No Opposition party in the State have enough strength in the Assembly even for filing the nomination papers under MLAs quota.

Of the seven MLCs, six MLCs will be elected under MLAs quota and one will be nominated under Governor’s quota. It remains to be seen whether Gutha Sukhender Reddy will be renominated to the Council or not. If Gutha does not get renominated, then the moot question is, who will be the choice of Rao for the Council Chairperson’s post.

The grapevine has it that if Gutha does not get renominated, Rao may consider the name of newly elected MLC Surabhi Vani Devi for the post. The notification for filling up of these vacancies will be issued this month itself. However, there is a rumour in the party that Gutha has completed only two year term as an MLC and that KCR will renominate him.

While Nethi Vidyasagar, Bodakunti, K Srihari, A Lalitha have completed six years in the Council, Fareduddin has been an MLC for five years now. So, how many of these leaders will be renominated to the Council also remains to be seen.