Congress selects Akula Lalitha for MLC election

HYDERABAD: In a surprise move that baffled old guards in the Congress, party president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday announced former Mahila Congress chief Akula Lalitha’s name as MLC candidate for the lone seat the party could win. Over 40 party bigwigs were ignored for the seat.

According to TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, she will be filing her nomination papers on Thursday. A  TPCC list of over 40 names, dispatched by the AICC
General Secretary Digvijay Singh, after consultations with party vice president Rahul Gandhi has closeted with Ms Sonia Gandhi, before zeroing in on Akula Lalitha.

Hailing from the backward Munnuru Kapu community in Nizamabad, Akula Lalitha was initially groomed by former PCC Chief D. Srinivas, but both are at loggerheads as of now.

Lalitha has been replaced by Nerella Sarada as Telangana Mahila Congress Chief a week ago. The selection of Lalitha has eventually sealed the fate of Congress veteran D. Srinivas, who after his retirement as MLC on March 29 this year was hoping to get a renomination.

Mr. Srinivas, who had been defeated thrice on a row as MLA candidate from 2009 general elections, will have to wait till 2019 if he wants to test his popularity.

Though the MLC polls from the localbodies are going to be held soon, there is no chance for Congress candidates to win, as the entire Nizamabad district came under the TRS spell recently in all elections.

The selection of Ms Lalitha, and the dejection of Mr Srinivas also confirm Shabbir Ali's continuation as the Leader of Opposition, that has the rank of cabinet minister attached to it.