With the Election Commission of India announcing schedule for the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra Pradesh, speculations have once again started in the media on the lucky candidates who would be nominated to the Upper House from YSR Congress party.
Since the YSRC can bag all the four RS seats without any contest from the opposition, there are several aspirants from the ruling party, despite knowing that party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has already decided on whom to send to Rajya Sabha.
According to party sources, while outgoing MP V Vijay Sai Reddy is all set to get the re-nomination, the names of advocate-cum-film producer Niranjan Reddy and Bida Mastan Rao have also been projected as front-runners for the RS seats.
However, on Saturday, the name of former Union minister Dr Killi Krupa Rani, who defected from the Congress to the YSRC a couple of years ago, has emerged in the political circles as a surprising choice by Jagan.
Sources said the chief minister has more or less finalised her name, unless he has any other last minute compulsions and pressures from other sections.
“Jagan had given a promise to Krupa Rani at the time of joining the party. Since she hails from Kalinga, a BC community, from north coastal Andhra and moreover, a woman, she has been picked by the chief minister,” the party sources said.
There is also a talk that Jagan might offer one seat to the candidate recommended by Bharatiya Janata Party central leadership, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in lieu of the YSRC support to the NDA in the Presidential elections.
It could be prominent industrialist Gautam Adani or his wife Preeti Adani. There was also a talk that the BJP might recommend another industrialist from Telangana Jupalli Rameshwar Rao. In all probability, Jagan might come out with the list in a day or two, sources added.