4th seat doubtful for Congress

Lobbying begins for Rajya Sabha polls

• Congress to contest four, TDP two
• TRS contemplating to put up K Keshava Rao
• YSRCP likely to nominate MV Mysura Reddy

Hyderabad: With just five days left for the notification to be issued for the Rajya Sabha elections, lobbying for seats has intensified and all political parties are busy working out their respective strategies.

Of the six seats for which elections would be held, Congress will contest four and TDP two seats.

Sources say that the Congress high command is likely to renominate MA Khan, who hails from Hyderabad, and another candidate, also from Telangana region. From Seemandhra, KVP Ramachandra Rao is likely to be renominated. But the real problem for the Congress is with regard to the fourth seat. The party does not have enough strength to win on its own and will have to depend on other parties.

Moreover, Seemandhra Congress MLAs are also contemplating to cause embarrassment to the party by nominating an independent candidate who is said to be an industrialist from Nellore district.

Though at this point of time the Seemandhra MLAs do not have the required numbers to get an independent elected, they claim that they will be able to mobilise the required numbers by February 7 when polling takes place.

As per rules, they require only 10 members to nominate a candidate and they are ready, according to a senior leader.

On the other hand, the TRS is contemplating to put up K Keshava Rao as the party candidate. TRS claims that as of now it has the support of over 25 members. It counts on the MIM support. The YSRCP is also planning to nominate MV Mysura Reddy as its candidate.

In the backdrop of this situation, the Congress high command is said to have opened a dialogue with the TRS for support to its candidate.