The Hindu : Lobbying on in Congress for Rajya Sabha seats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 19, 2004

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National

Lobbying on in Congress for Rajya Sabha seats

By K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI, FEB.18. Hectic lobbying has begun in the Congress for vacancies arising in the Rajya Sabha, with 24 of the 70 members retiring during April this year. Even as the central leadership has begun implementing plans for the general elections, several aspirants are seeking tickets for the Council of States.

Of the 24 seats that would fall vacant during April, 18 of them would be by April 2, and another five by April 9.

The 18 include six from Andhra Pradesh, four from Karnataka, three from Kerala, two from Assam, and one each from Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and Nagaland. The rest are from Punjab, where the tenure of the incumbents expires on April 9.

The six retiring members from Andhra Pradesh are N.R. Dasari (CPI), Yadlapati Venkat Rao, P. Prabhakar Reddy, C. Ramachandraiah, Rumandala Ramachandrayya and K. Kalavenkata Rao (all TDP).

The retiring MPs from Karnataka include the Bharatiya Janata Party chief, M. Venkaiah Naidu, AICC general secretary, Oscar Fernandes, All India Progressive Janata Dal president, S.R. Bommai and H.K. Javare Gowda of the Janata Dal-Secular.

However, the election of new MPs against vacancies arising in these two States would have to wait till the constitution of new assemblies.

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly was dissolved in November last year while the Karnataka Government has recommended dissolution by February 23.

The Kerala vacancies would be against retiring members, M.J. Varkey Mattathil (Kerala Congress - Joseph) and A. Vijayaraghavan CPI(M). The third vacancy was caused by the death of Korambayail Ahammed Haji (Muslim League). Senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran has already staked his claim for nomination against the vacancy since the United Democratic Front has the numbers.

Members retiring from Assam are Arun Kumar Sarma (AGP) and Drupad Borgohain (CPI). Anil Sharma, president of Himachal Vikas Congress, also retires on April 2, as would C. Apok Jamir, son of former Nagaland Chief Minister, S.C. Jamir on the day.

The situation in Assam could alter since the Congress has the majority while in Nagaland, the ruling coalition headed by the Chief Minister's Naga Peoples Front has the edge. Matilal Sarkar of CPI(M) from Tripura also retires on April 2 where the Left Front has been in power.

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