KT Rama Rao working on strategy for Lok Sabha elections

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti supremo K. Chandrasekhar Rao, whose strategy of declaring the names of 105 candidates two months prior to the recent Assembly polls had paid such rich dividends, is now planning to declare the names of 15 candidates for the Legislative Council, for which elections are likely to be held in March.

Biennial elections are also to be conducted for five clear vacancies of members, three from the Congress and two from the TRS, whose terms end on March 29.

By-elections are due for the posts which are vacant due to the resignation of Mr M. Hanumantha Rao and the expulsion of Mr Yadav Reddy, who were elected from the Assembly. 

Similarly, by-elections have also to be conducted in the Assembly constituencies of Mr Konda Murali, Mr K. Rajagopal Reddy and Mr P. Narender Reddy.

As the Election Commission is making arrangements for the elections to the Legislative Council, RS working president K.T. Rama Rao is holding discussions about the strategy to be adopted in all seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, as Chief Minister is likely to announce all the contesting candidates at one go — except the nominated members who would have only a one-year term.

Of the 15 posts, the tenure of nine posts (five posts from Assembly and four posts of two teachers and one each of graduates and local authorities) will be of six years, and of the remaining six posts, one will have a tenure of four years and the rest of two years.

Sources in the Telangana Rashtra Samiti claim that out of the 16 posts, 15  will go to them, and one seat under the Assembly quota is likely to go to the Congress and the Telugu Desam combined as they had only 21 MLAs in the state Assembly. In order to win an MLC post under the Assembly quota, A party or the alliance needs the votes of at least 20 MLAs.