Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Feb 25: With six MLC seats set to fall vacant in March and May 2025, political activity is gaining momentum as aspirants from the ruling Congress and Opposition BRS step up their efforts to secure party nominations.
Five seats under the Legislative Assembly quota and one from the Hyderabad Local Authorities constituency will be up for grabs, sparking intense competition. The Election Commission has scheduled the MLC polls under the MLAs' quota for March 20, if required, with the newly elected members to be sworn in by March 29. The sixth vacancy will be filled in May.
From the BRS, four MLCs—including one who defected to Congress—and one from AIMIM will be vacating their positions. The outgoing members include Seri Subhash Reddy, Satyavathi Rathod, Mahmood Ali, Yegge Mallesham, and Mirza Riyaz-ul-Hassan. Hyderabad Local Authorities MLC MS Prabhakar Rao will also complete his term in May.
Given the current assembly strength, the ruling Congress is expected to bag four MLC seats, while BRS may secure one. BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao is reportedly considering renominating Satyavathi Rathod for another term.
Meanwhile, Congress is witnessing intense lobbying, with senior leaders, young aspirants, and community representatives vying for a ticket. BC leaders are demanding at least two seats, citing their majority status in the recent caste census. Leaders from SC/ST, minority, and other influential communities are also pushing for representation, engaging in discussions with the CM, TPCC, and senior ministers.
Among the contenders, Graduates’ MLC T Jeevan Reddy is seeking a nomination from the MLAs’ quota. Other aspirants include Addanki Dayakar, Faheem Qureshi, Ayodhya Reddy, Charan Koushik Yadav, Sama Rammohan Reddy, and Jagadeeswar Rao. Senior leaders like K Jana Reddy and Jetti Kusuma Kumar are also in the fray, with discussions reaching the AICC level.
Former minister Md. Ali Shabbir’s name is reportedly under discussion at Gandhi Bhavan, while former MP and Campaign Committee chairman Madhu Yaskhi is being considered for a Cabinet position under the BC quota.
Meanwhile, AIMIM is lobbying for one MLC seat from Congress, as their sitting MLC will vacate a position in March. If Congress accommodates AIMIM’s request, it will further reduce the available seats, intensifying pressure on the party leadership.
The final decision on nominations and Cabinet positions is expected after consultations at the AICC level, once the new Telangana in-charge, Meenakshi Natarajan, arrives in the state.