In order to cause another embarrassment to the Congress leadership, MLAs loyal to Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy are contemplating fielding an independent candidate in the coming Rajya Sabha biennial polls for six seats from the state. A formal announcement on the biennial polls is expected by this month-end.

Six RS members will retire on April 2 this year. The rebel MLAs plans have root in the fact their disqualification hangs in the balance, with the Speaker having put a decision on hold.

In normal circumstances, the Congress and the Telugu Desam will win four and two seats respectively without any formal contest. This means that only six nominations will be filed from their behalf and the nominees will be declared unanimously elected. A candidate needs the signatures of a at least 10 MLAs to file the nomination. Presently, the Jagan group accounts for 18 MLAs (17 rebels and Pulivendula MLA Y.S. Vijayalakshmi). Similarly, the TRS, which has 12 MLAs, can also propose a name if it desires.

“We have not taken a final decision on this, but we are moving in that direction,” said one rebel MLA.
The Majlis will extend it’s support to the Congress, while CPI and CPM will support the TD.

But the other chunk, Jagan group (18), TRS (12), and BJP (2), with its combined strength of 32 MLAs, will try to rock the chances of any one of the six candidates put up by the Congress and the TD.
The presence of the seventh candidate in the fray will definitely change the biennial poll scene.