Hyderabad: With the Telangana Legislative Council (MLC) elections fast approaching, the Congress leadership is actively strategising candidate selection to balance political commitments and party interests. AICC in-charge of Telangana, Meenakshi Natarajan, met Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at his residence on Wednesday to deliberate on the party’s approach to the elections, particularly regarding MLC nominations under the MLAs’ quota.

The meeting, which lasted over an hour, was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy. Given that the election notification has already been issued, discussions centred on the criteria for selecting candidates while accommodating pre-poll promises and coalition dynamics.

Congress, with its current strength, can comfortably secure three MLC seats and extend support to the AIMIM for a fourth. However, internal deliberations remain over fulfilling the demands of the Communist Party of India (CPI), a pre-election ally seeking one of the seats as previously assured. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy briefed Ms. Natarajan on these obligations, highlighting the CPI’s expectations from the ruling party.

Ms. Natarajan, in turn, stressed the importance of maintaining social balance within the nominations, advocating for the inclusion of dedicated Congress workers who have not yet received political opportunities. The leadership is reportedly weighing these considerations carefully to ensure broad representation and party unity.

Further discussions on the finalisation of candidates are likely to take place in New Delhi, with Mr. Reddy expected to visit the party high command over the weekend. The upcoming elections are seen as a crucial test for Congress in Telangana, as it navigates both internal party dynamics and alliance commitments while selecting its nominees.