Congress Finalises MLC Candidates, CPI Gains Alliance Seat Over AIMIM

Hyderabad: The Congress party has finalised its candidates for the upcoming MLC elections, naming three contenders from its ranks while allocating the fourth seat to its ally, the Communist Party of India (CPI). The decision, announced by AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal in New Delhi on Sunday night, comes amid intense political manoeuvring, particularly from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), which had actively lobbied for the seat.

Among those securing a Congress ticket is veteran actress-turned-politician Vijayashanti, who will contest from the MLA quota alongside Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) leader Addanki Dayakar and Nalgonda District Congress Committee (DCC) chief Kethavath Shanker Naik. Despite strong efforts from AIMIM leaders to claim the fourth seat, the Congress has decided to back the CPI candidate instead, reinforcing its alliance commitments.

With its current legislative strength, Congress is confident of securing three out of the four MLC seats. Meanwhile, the CPI, buoyed by Congress' support, remains optimistic about winning its allocated seat.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had issued the official notification for the elections on March 3. The nomination process began on March 10, with scrutiny scheduled for March 11. The deadline for withdrawing nominations is March 13. Voting will take place on March 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the counting of votes set to begin immediately after polling concludes.

This MLC election is being closely watched as it marks a key test for the Congress-led alliance in Telangana, especially as the party navigates political pressures from both allies and competitors ahead of future electoral battles.