Telangana: 7 MLCs take oath, Congress strength rises in Council

Among those sw7 MLCs take oathorn in were three Congress candidates, two from the BJP, one from CPI, and an Independent representing the Progressive Recognised Teachers’ Union (PRTU). However, BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar, who was elected under the MLAs’ quota, is yet to take oath.

The Congress’s strength in the 40-member Council has now increased from three to six. However, with the support of one MLC each from allies CPI and MIM, six defected BRS MLCs, and two nominated members under the Governor’s quota, the effective Congress-backed strength has risen to 16.

Under the MLAs’ quota, Congress candidates Vijayashanthi, Addanki Dayakar, and Shankar Naik were elected unopposed, along with its ally CPI’s Nellikanti Satyam and opposition BRS’s Dasoju Sravan. In the Karimnagar Graduates’ and Teachers' constituencies, BJP’s C. Anji Reddy and Malka Komaraiah secured victories. From the Khammam Teachers’ constituency, independent P. Sripal Reddy (PRTU) emerged victorious.

The swearing-in ceremony witnessed the presence of several top leaders, including Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, Legislative Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu, BJP MP K. Laxman, and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.