Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

Congress leaders vie for berth

G.V. Ramana Rao

APCC election panel to finalise candidates tomorrow

VIJAYAWADA: With the release of notification for elections to the Legislative Council on Thursday, aspirants in the Krishna district Congress are flexing their muscles.

A good number of candidates are vying for the party ticket to contest from the Local Authorities' Constituencies (LACs) of Krishna district, as two members can be elected to the Legislative Council from this constituency. The election committee of the Pradesh Congress Committee is scheduled to meet in Hyderabad on Saturday to finalise the candidates. Of the 1,102 voters in the LACs of Krishna district, the Congress claims to have on its side 603 voters, including those of the CPI and independents. The TDP and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have the remaining 492 voters.

Probable choice

With this kind of strength, the Congress can surely get one of its candidates elected to the Council in the preferential voting system.

Dhutta Ramachandra Rao, a doctor by profession and a close friend of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, appears to be the candidate with maximum support from leaders in the district. Dr. Ramachandra Rao was junior to Dr. Reddy when the latter was studying medicine, and is also a close friend of Adviser to the Government (public affairs) K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, who will have considerable say in the selection of candidates.

Backward classes leader and hotelier Ilapuram Venkaiah, former chairman of the Krishna Milk Union Kodali Jaganmohan Rao, APSRTC zonal chairman Jogi Ramesh and long-time functionaries of the Congress Gangisetti Babu Rao and Repala Mohan Rao are also in the race.

Two other senior leaders from the district -- former Union Minister P. Upendra and PCC spokesperson Paladugu Venkata Rao -- are also aspiring to be elected to the council by MLAs. Incidentally, the Telugu Desam Party was the first to announce a candidate from the district. Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu announced the candidature of Y.V.B. Rajendra Prasad, president of the APMPTCs Association and a former sarpanch, in the process of settling a dispute.

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