Race in BRS for 2 MLC seats under governor quota

HYDERABAD: After clearing three nominees for MLC polls under the MLA quota for filling up vacancies in the council, now all eyes are on two MLC vacancies under the governor quota, which will be filled up soon. Nearly a dozen leaders are aspiring for the two MLC seats. BRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is likely to recommend two names to governor Tamilisai Soundararajan after getting approval from the cabinet at its meeting on March 9.
The government has decided to recommend names after considering all aspects as the governor had rejected the nomination of Padi Kaushik Reddy in 2020, saying that his candidature cannot be considered under social category of the governor quota. Later, the government had to recommend former speaker S Madhusudhana Chary's name and Kaushik Reddy was sent to the Upper House under the MLA quota instead of the governor quota.
The vacancies are necessitated as two members - D Rajeshwara Rao and Farooq Hussain - would retire in May. Interestingly, both belongs to minority community, D Rajeshwara Rao is a Christian, while Farooq Hussain a Muslim. One of the two MLCs is likely to be renominated.
Sources in BRS said KCR is considering half-a-dozen names, including that of former Alair B Bikshmaiah Goud, who was reportedly assured by KCR when he had joined the party during the Munugode bypoll.
Similarly, Karne Prabhakar, an ex-MLC, had aspired for a ticket from the Munugode assembly segment in the bypoll held in November. Former chairman of Telangana State Sports Authority Allipuram Venkateshwar Reddy is also in the race under the governor quota. BRS leaders said it was D Rajeshwar Rao's third term in the legislative council, twice in Congress regime and once in BRS government. But a chance for the fourth time might be rare.