Voting for MLC polls becomes imminent
Hyderabad, May 21 (INN): In a move that could spell trouble for rebel MLAs, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi fielded five candidates for six vacant seats of Telangana State Legislative Council, to be filled by MLAs.
Five TRS candidates include Deputy CM Kadiyam Srihari, R&B Minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao, Council's ex-Deputy Chairman Nethi Vidyasagar Rao, K Yadav Reddy and B Venkateshwarulu. While the Congress fielded former Mahila Congress chief Akula Lalitha, the TDP nominated former MLA V Narender Reddy.
Initially, it was assumed that the elections for six MLC seats would be unanimous. Going by the strengthen of MLAs in Assembly, the TRS can get four seats while the Congress and TDP-BJP combine will get one seat each. However, in a surprising, but daring move, the TRS fielded five candidates which made polling imminent. To get elected as MLC, each candidate would need about 20 votes. The TRS has 67 MLAs and also enjoys the support of seven MIM MLAs. Of three, two MLAs of YSRCP had already defected to the TRS. Therefore, the collective strength of TRS for MLC polls is 76.
Although officially the Congress has 21 MLAs and TDP has 15, four MLAs from each of these two opposition parties have defected to the TRS. While the Congress has the support of independent MLA Donthi Madhava Reddy, who joined the party in November last year, the TDP has the backing of five BJP MLAs. This puts the practical strength of Congress and TDP for MLCs polls to 18 and 16 respectively. However, in case of polling, both the parties would certainly issue whips which might put the rebels into trouble as they face disqualification under Anti-Defection Law.
The lone MLAs of CPI and CPI (M) each have reportedly decided to boycott the polls.
The statistics clearly show that the TRS was banking on defections and cross-voting by Congress and TDP MLAs to win the fifth seat. Therefore, the defeat of either Congress or TDP in the MLC elections looks certain.
News Posted: 21 May, 2015
|
