9 MLCs, 2 MLAs join TRS

• TRS beefing up its strength in Council
  
• It has 16 in 40-member Council
  
• Swamy Goud tipped to be Chairman

Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s plans to bag Legislative Council post received a big boost on Tuesday with nine MLCs joining the party on Wednesday. With this, the TRS’ strength in Legislative Council has gone up to 16 from the earlier six. Congress, which enjoyed majority until recently with 17 members, is now left with only 12 members. On the other hand, TDP presence has been reduced to 4 after two of its MLCs switched loyalties to TRS. MIM has two MLCs and PDF 1.

Those who joined the party are Congress MLCs K R Amos, N Rajalingam, T Bhanu Prasad, Jagadishwar Reddy and V Bhoopal Reddy, and two from TDP- B Venkateshwarulu, Mohammed Saleem; Poola Ravinder and Janardhan Reddy (Teacher MLCs) besides former MLCs Mohan Reddy and S Indrasena Reddy. The other two MLCs are teachers segment.

With equations changing, chances of TRS bagging Chairman’s post are now a certainty. A notification will be issued at the time of next session (most probably budget session) and since TRS has highest number of MLCs will get the coveted Chairman post.

According to TRS sources, K Swamy Goud is tipped to become the Council Chairman. Insiders say TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao had already assured him of the post. This will help the party pass the bills in the upper house without any problem. Two BSP MLAs N Indrakaran Reddy (Nirmal) and Koneru Konappa (Sirpur) formally joined the party. They had met Rao soon after declaration of election results and expressed their willingness to join pink brigade. Addressing them, KCR emphasised on political unity to ensure that the new State was transformed into a ‘Bangaru Telangana’.