Hyderabad, February 23: Time has come for the Congress government in the state to prove its strength. Whether or not the TRS moves a no-confidence motion against the Congress government in the Assembly, the ruling party has to show that it has got the numbers by retaining its posts in the elections to be held soon for 10 MLC seats under the MLAs’ quota and another 10 in the local bodies’ quota.
The Congress held five seats in each category.
However, the party is expected to face a big challenge from its own MPs, MLAs, municipal councillors, corporators and other supporters of former Kadapa MP and the late YSR’s son Jagan Mohan Reddy.
About 25 MLAs who support Jagan and other public representatives in the districts who stand by him could spoil the chances of the Congress candidates. The choice of candidates is also likely to become tricky for the Congress leadership for the same reason besides the need to strike a balance on regional, religious and caste considerations.
With its current strength, the Congress could win a minimum of five Council seats (under MLAs’ quota) leaving one seat each to its new partner the PRP and long time ally the MIM. The remaining three seats will go to the opposition TDP. However, the true picture on the number of MLAs supporting Kiran and those behind Jagan will come out either on the day of filing of nominations or if a new candidate is fielded by Jagan.
The Congress has 155 members followed by TDP (91), PRP (18), TRS (11), MIM (7), CPI (4), BJP (2), CPM and LSP one each and three independents. Immediately after 2009 elections, all the three independents became associate members of the Congress. A candidate (under the MLAs quota) requires about 27 votes to get elected to an MLC seat.
For the MLC seats under the local bodies quota, the Congress is expected to face a threat from the Jagan’s camp since several of its public representatives have shown loyalty to Jagan during the latter’s Odarpu Yatra in the districts.
Meanwhile, APCC president D Srinivas today met Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in his Assembly chambers and reportedly discussed the Council elections for about 15 minutes. Later, he held separate meetings with some of the district in-charge ministers and MLAs of East Godavari, West Godavari, Nellore and Prakasam districts.
Srinivas later said a list of probable candidates was being prepared from which the central leadership would make the final selection.
Agriculture minister YS Vivekananda Reddy (under local bodies quota), senior party leaders Paladugu Venkata Rao and Mohammed Jani are among those whose four-year term will end on March 29, 2011.
–Agencies