HYDERABAD: As the elections to MLC seats under local authority constituencies are fast nearing, all eyes are on the undivided Medak district as Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and finance minister T. Harish Rao represent Gajwel and Siddipet assembly constituencies respectively in the district.
Stiff competition from the Congress is said to have caused a worry to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leaders as they suspect possible cross-voting in the election. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president and MLA T. Jayaprakash ‘Jagga’ Reddy, whose wife is the Congress candidate in the constituency, has a strong hold in the district and he has been maintaining cordial relations with the local bodies’ elected representatives.
The elections to the MLC seats under local authority constituency (LAC) category are scheduled on December 10. Of the total 12 MLC posts, the TRS won in six seats, where its candidates got elected unopposed. The Opposition Congress fielded its candidates T. Nirmala Jagga Reddy in undivided Medak district and Rayala Nageshwar Rao in undivided Khammam district. In other districts, some independent candidates are in the fray.
Jayaprakash ‘Jagga’ Reddy strategically fielded his wife and Sangareddy District Congress Committee president T. Nirmala as the MLC candidate. Of the 1,027 votes in Medak LAC constituency, the TRS has 768 voters, the Congress 230 and the remaining belong to the BJP. The TRS fielded Dr Yadava Reddy as its MLC candidate.
In this context, the TRS leadership is planning to conduct a camp for MLC voters till the polling date. It is also necessary for the party to garner their support by offering cash and works, the sources said. Finance minister T. Harish Rao took the responsibility for the victory of Yadava Reddy with a thumping majority. Reportedly, he has been in touch with the local body elected representatives. After scrutiny and withdrawals of nominations, the TRS, the Congress and some independent candidates are in the fray for Medak MLC election.
