Andhra MLC polls to test loyalties of MLAs

Express News Service
First Published : 08 Mar 2011 05:15:01 AM IST
Last Updated : 08 Mar 2011 12:15:15 PM IST

HYDERABAD: The elections for 10 MLC seats under MLAs quota is likely to expose the political loyalties of the legislators of all the parties as 12 candidates are in the fray.

The Congress and the TDP fielded one candidate extra, while the TRS too is in the fray to avoid possible poaching of its MLAs.

At the rate of 29 votes for each MLC candidate, 10 contestants should win unanimously. But in a strategic move, the Congress, the TDP and the TRS fielded their candidates over and above their strength.

The Congress with 155 MLAs and three associate members, fielded M Ranga Reddy as its fifth candidate. The TDP has fielded three and is supporting the CPI candidate for the fourth seat. TDP leaders said all the four candidates enjoyed equal status and there was no question of giving least priority to any of them.

"The TDP chief assured us that the CPI would get a comfortable number of votes. Giving least preferential votes to the CPI candidate is ruled out," a CPI leader exuded confidence.

The TDP has 91 MLAs in the Assembly. It is not yet known whether the two TDP rebel MLAs, who are loyal to Jagan, will participate in the voting. The strategy to be adopted by the around 25 MLAs from the Congress, the PRP and the TDP, who are loyal to YS Jagan, is also not yet clear. Whether they will participate in the voting and, if so, whether they will vote for the Congress remains to be seen. The Jagan group did not field any candidate.

The TDP is likely to allot 23 votes to each candidate. "We will work out in a manner that all the three TDP and the one CPI candidate are elected," a TDP leader said. "We are expecting a split in the Congress and Jagan group votes," he said.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy too is confident of winning all the five seats. The TRS, which has only 11 MLAs in the Assembly, will get the support of two BJP MLAs. There are reports that the Jagan group's MLAs may support the TRS candidate.