Hyderabad: Senior Congress leaders who failed to get tickets or lost the polls are now eyeing MLCs tickets.
While there is intense clamour for nominated posts too, several senior party leaders are throwing their hats for MLC.
While some have rushed to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, others are making a beeline to Congress High Command in New Delhi. In fact, Delhi flights are booming again with Congress leaders with party in power in Telangana State for the first time after formation of the State in 2014.
Amidst clamour for nominated posts and MLCs tickets, some are also eyeing for MP tickets also in the hope that Congress win in the assembly elections will have positive effect in Lok Sabha elections next year.
But the demand is more for MLC and cabinet berth now. Six MLC vacancies are on the cards—2 under MLA quota, 2 under Governor quota, 1 local body and 1 graduate constituency. Congress has chance to get at least 4 MLCs.
Since there is no Muslim minority in the A Revanth Reddy cabinet, ex Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir who lost the elections from Nizamabad Urban, Feroz Khan, who was defeated in Nampally, Mohd Azharuddin who lost in Jubilee Hills are among the front runners for MLC berths and Minister post.
While senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao is eyeing Khammam Lok Sabha ticket and if denied, a Rajya Sabha berth, others in the queue for MLC tickets include G Chinna Reddy, Ramulu Naik, Madhu Yakshi Goud, Jagga Reddy, Pushpa Leela, ex-MP Balram Naik, G Niranjan among others.
Several senior Congress leaders have already rushed to New Delhi to put forth their plea to the Congress High Command. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy too has been summoned for the proposed cabinet expansion, MLC nomination and nominated posts.
The Congress High command had promised MLC tickets and plum nominated posts before elections to all those senior party leaders who were denied tickets in caste equations and on the criteria of winning chances.
Since there is no minority Muslim MLA elected from Congress, the High Command will have to accommodate one or two for MLC and a cabinet berth.
Congress has fielded six Muslims in the 2023 assembly polls in the State and all were defeated–Mohd Ali Shabbir (Nizamabad Urban), Mohd Azharuddin (Jubilee Hills), Mohd. Feroz Khan (Nampally), Shaik Akbar (Malakpet), Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri (Karwan) and Mohd Mujeebullah Shareef (Charminar).
In fact, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy blamed MIM Floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi for defeating Muslim candidates of Congress by fielding candidates and extending support to their dear friend former Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar in the just concluded assembly elections.
Akbaruddin Owaisi stoutly denied the charge saying he too can level similar allegation since Congress had fielded candidates against them in Old City. There was war of words between the two.
Despite having majority in Assembly, Congress has no strength in Legislative Council and will find it tough to pass important bills and win over debates.
In the 40-member Legislative council, BRS has 30 MLCs and its friendly ally, AIMIM, has two. The Congress presently has only two MLCs. It has to wait for at least 15 months for eight MLC seats to become vacant.
Congress may woo BRS and independent MLCs as done by BRS earlier in 2014.
