As the dust from the assembly and parliament elections begins to settle, Andhra Pradesh is gearing up for another election to fill the vacant positions in the legislative council. These vacancies arose following the defection of two former YSRCP MLCs, Mohammad Iqbal and C. Rama Chandrayya, to the TDP, which led to their immediate disqualification by the leader of the legislative council.
The vacant MLC positions must be filled within three months from the date of disqualification. With two months already elapsed, the election commission is expected to release a notification soon to fill these positions. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), part of the NDA alliance, is likely to secure these two MLC positions unopposed, as they will be elected by the MLAs in the legislative assembly.
The NDA alliance, holding a significant majority with 164 seats in the assembly, is expected to have a smooth process in appointing the two MLCs from the MLA quota. The primary question now is who will be chosen for these two MLC positions from the NDA alliance.
Reports indicate that former Pithapuram MLA SVSN Varma, who stepped aside for Janasena president Pawan Kalyan in the recent assembly elections, is a leading candidate for one of the MLC positions. Varma’s decision to support Pawan Kalyan in Pithapuram has led many to believe that Chandrababu Naidu might have promised him an MLC position as a reward for his cooperation and hard work in ensuring Pawan Kalyan’s victory.
Another contender is Konidela Naga Babu, Pawan Kalyan’s brother, who was initially slated to contest as Anakapalle MP but was sidelined due to seat-sharing arrangements with the BJP. There is speculation that Naga Babu might be offered an MLC position as a gesture of respect for his steadfast support for Pawan Kalyan and Janasena during challenging times.
Additionally, TDP leaders like Devineni Uma, Alapati Raja, and others who defected from YSRCP before the elections are also in contention for these MLC positions. Currently, there is no clear indication of who will ultimately secure the two vacant seats in the council.
