Hyderabad: There is already resentment over the draw of lots among RS members who are afraid of losing their clout in their native region.
Mr M.A. Khan, who got re-elected for the Upper House this year, said, “There are a lot of problems, I am a pucca Telangana citizen, I am spending all the funds allotted to me under MPLADS in Telangana. I am getting protocol in Hyderabad, security for me and my family is being taken care of by the Hyderabad police. Suppose I am going to be picked for Seemandhra, how can I spend my MPLADS funds in that region? Who will provide my security? What protocol will I enjoy in one particular municipality?”
Mr Khan has opted for the GHMC where he is ex-officio member. “How can I opt for one municipality in Seemandhra?” he asked.
He said he had written to Mr Ansari, and that the RS members would raise the issue again on Wednesday at the draw of lots.
Dr Kesava Rao said: “I was elected as RS member from the TRS which is confined to Telangana. If I am chosen for Seemandhra, how can a TRS MP function from Seemandhra, where the party does not exist at all?”
Congress MP Palvai Govardhana Reddy said: “As Rajya Sabha member I had opted for Nalgonda. Is it fair that from tomorrow I will have to work from a Seemandhra district? It is all absurd and confusing.”
Congress MP T. Subbarami Reddy said that they would tell Mr Ansari to get the Act amended and then allot seats to the two states.
Congress MP V. Hanumantha Rao who is facing a similar predicament, said, “We will talk to the Chairman before picking up lots and request him to take opinions from the members and decide everything amicably."
Harikrishna seat tangle
Due to a lacunae in the Act, the draw of lots is bound to create legal problems. It was specifically mentioned in the Act that “The term of one seat which is to expire on 9th April, 2014, and has become vacant due to resignation of Shri Nandamuri Harikrishna on 22nd August, 2013, shall be allotted to the State of Andhra Pradesh”.
Given this reservation of one seat for Seemandhra, there is no clarity whether Wednesday’s draw of lots will be applied to the remaining 17 or all the 18, as no bypoll was held to fill the vacancy caused by Mr Harikrishna’s resignation.
Scheduled elections held for six vacant seats including, that of Mr Harikrishna, subsequently. When that is so, it is not clear how the Rajya Sabha Chairman would deal with the already “reserved” seat for Seemandhra and identify who specifically was elected for that particular vacancy.
