Rebel threat paves way for TSR - TeluguPeople.com News

Hyderabad: In a tactical move to ward off possible rebellion by Seemandhra legislators, the Congress high command on Monday renominated KVP Ramchandra Rao, MA Khan and Subbarami Reddy for the Rajya Sabha elections.

The Congress high command dropped Koppula Raju from the list at the last moment only to prevent rebels from entering the fray. The party leaders were sure that KVP would get second term as the member of the Upper House.

Party insiders said that the central leadership managed to hit many targets with a single decision. The decision to field senior leader Subbarami Reddy would benefit the party in two ways as there would not be any conflict between him and Union minister Purandeswari during the elections.

Both the leaders had expressed their desire to contest from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat. Now that Subbarami Reddy is sent to Rajya Sabha, the party feels there won't be any conflict between the two senior leaders.

Subbarami Reddy's nomination may also thwart attempts of Seemandhra MLAs, who were planning to field a candidate. State Minister for Infrastructure and Investments Ganta Srinivas Rao was said to be keen on contesting as a rebel candidate.

Fielding three candidates would mean that Congress was ready to support Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) candidate K Keshav Rao by allotting its surplus votes to him.

The TRS has already decided to field KK and it is in the process of enlisting support from other parties. It is aware that KK enjoys good rapport with the leaders of his erstwhile party. Leaders like former ministers Shankar Rao, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy have indicated that they would support KK.

Earlier, former bureaucrat and Congress SC cell chairman Koppula Raju was a strong contender for the Rajya Sabha seat as he belonged to Mala community. The Congress nominees would file their nomination on Tuesday, the last date for filing papers. No nominations have been filled till Monday.

TDP fields Garikapati, Sitaramalakshmi

Mohammed Younus/Hyderabad : Telugu Desam Party president N Chandra babu Naidu finally announced two candidates ' Garikapati Mohan Rao and Thota Sitaramalakshmi - for the Rajya Sabha polls.

The party can easily win two seats on its strength. Mohan Rao, a businessman who belongs to forward caste from Warangal district, Sitarama Lakshmi, a backward classes leader from West Godavari district.

Naidu found it difficult to come up with the two names as many seniors who aspired to go to the Upper House brought in intense pressure on him for the ticket. Former RS MP Harikrishna who quit his seat recently and also a politburo member was an aspirant.

Two senior leaders ' Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and M Narsimhulu ' too aspired for the RS tickets. Naidu later told the media that he would do justice to all these leaders at an appropriate time in future. TRS fielded K Keshav Rao in Rajya Sabha election from his party. Tuesday is the last date to file nominations.