Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has reportedly finalized the names of former Pithapuram MLA S.V.S.N. Varma and former MLC Mohammad Iqbal for the two vacant MLC seats, with elections scheduled for July 12.
Naidu held brief discussions with Jana Sena Party chief and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday night regarding the selection of candidates for the MLC posts. Apparently, Naidu wanted to know whether Pawan Kalyan had any candidates in mind for the MLC seat.
Pawan Kalyan reportedly suggested the name of TDP in-charge for Pithapuram S.V.S.N. Varma for the MLC seat. Varma, who had sacrificed his MLA seat for Pawan Kalyan, had requested the latter to take up his case with Naidu.
In fact, the TDP chief also considered Varma, along with Kapu leader and former MLA Vangaveeti Radhakrishna, for one of the two MLC seats.
For the second MLC seat, Naidu aimed to accommodate a minority candidate—either Mohammad Iqbal or former council chairman Mohammad Sharif.
After discussing with Pawan Kalyan, the TDP chief reportedly finalized the names of Varma and Iqbal for the two MLC seats, which have become vacant due to the disqualification of Ramachandraiah and the resignation of Iqbal from the YSR Congress party.
Additionally, sources indicate that a few more MLC seats will become vacant in another seven or eight months, giving Naidu the opportunity to accommodate more deserving candidates in the MLC posts.