Lobbying in BRS for 2 MLC Governor's quota seats

 Hyderabad: The term of two BRS MLCs, D. Rajeshwar Rao and Farooq Hussain, under the Governor's quota will end on May 27. The Cabinet, which is meeting on Thursday, is expected to approve the names of their replacements and refer to them Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan for her consent.

Speculation is rife that BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao may consider the candidates from the same minority categories, Christian and Muslim, vacated by them.

Notwithstanding this, several aspirants are lobbying for the seats, including former minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao, TSPSC former chairman Ghanta Chakrapani, senior Dalit leader Mothkupalli Narasimhulu and former SATS chairman Allipuram Venkateshwar Reddy.

The last time, when the Cabinet approved Padi Kaushik Reddy as MLC under the Governor's quota in August 2021, Governor Soundararajan did not give her consent and kept the file pending for five months which ultimately led to a confrontation. The finally nominated Kaushik Reddy as MLC under the MLAs' quota in December 2021. Former speaker S. Madhusudhana Chary was replaced under the Governor's quota for which the Governor gave assent.