The elections to the members of legislative councils in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana present a completely contrasting pictures.
While it went on smoothly without any controversy in AP, it smacks of intense horse trading in Telangana.
In both the states, elections are being held for five MLC seats under MLAs’ quota.
In Andhra Pradesh, the five MLC candidates who filed the nomination were declared elected unanimously on Friday, as there were no opponents for them.
Out of five MLC seats in MLA's quota, Telugu Desam Party got four seats and one for YSR Congress party, as per the strength of their MLAs.
From the TDP, four candidates Duvvarapu Rama Rao, Yanamala Ramakrishnadu, Ashok Babu and BT Naidu got elected unanimously, while from YSR Congress Party, Jangam Krishnamurthy was elected to the Legislative Council unopposed.
In Telangana, however, all is not fair with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Like in Andhra, the ruling TRS can win four seats, while the Congress with the support of the two TDP members, can win the remaining one seat.
But TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao does not want to see any Congress member in the council. So, he fielded a fifth candidate through MIM.
In spite of the support from seven MLAs of the MIM and defection from TDP member Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, the TRS still needs seven MLAs. Apparently, KCR is hoping for wooing the Congress MLAs through horse trading.
Under the MLAs’ quota, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy filed his nomination papers with the returning officers for MLC elections on Thursday.
With the filing of nomination by Narayana Reddy, polling has become inevitable to the MLC seats from the Assembly quota on March 12.
Narayana Reddy said he would win if the ruling TRS did not indulge in any manipulation. It remains to be seen how the TRS will win the fifth seat.