The huge number of vacancies arising in the Andhra Pradesh state legislative council this year has given an opportunity to YSR Congress party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to pacify disgruntled elements in the party, who have been waiting for posts and positions for a long time.
Between March and July, as many as 31 MLC seats will fall vacant under various categories such as MLAs’ quota, local bodies’ quota, teachers’ quota, graduates’ quota and Governor’s quota.
Among them, 21 seats would fall vacant till May 1. Under the MLAs’ quota, as many as seven vacancies will arise, including that of five YSRC and two TDP.
Under the local bodies’ quota, nine seats will fall vacant. Besides, there will be two seats under graduates’ quota, one teachers’ quota and two under Governor’s quota.
The YSRC has the capacity to win all the 21 seats. It may find some difficulty in the teachers’ quota, but if the party can put in a little more effort, it can capture this seat too. So, a big number of YSRC leaders would get the chance to win these 21 seats.
According to party sources, the chief minister has already stated exercise to fill them up. While one seat will be allotted to Scheduled Tribes, Jagan as usual will give preference to BCs in the remaining seats.
Sources said Jagan will try to accommodate those leaders who were promised MLC in the past but could not give them for various reasons; besides those who have been trying for the MLA tickets as they could not get in the past.
Among those who might get the MLC tickets include Boppana Bhava Kumar in Vijayawada (east), Pattabhiramaiah Chowdary in Mandapet, Ravi Ramanatham Babu in Parchuru, Marri Rajasekhar from Chilakaluripet, Meka Seshu Babu from Palakole etc.
Similarly, outgoing YSRC MLCs like Dokka Manikya Varaprasad, Pothula Sunitha, Gangula Prabhakar Reddy and Suryanarayana Raju may be retained and in place of Challa Bhagiratha Reddy, his wife Challa Srilakshmi might get the MLC seat.
The interesting nomination to the council might be Yarlagadda Venkat Rao from Gannavaram, who has been strongly opposing sitting MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, who defected from the TDP to YSRCP.
Yarlagadda is a strong contender for the MLA ticket, but Jagan has already promised to field Vamsi again from Gannavaram. So, Yarlagadda might revolt against him.
In order to pacify him and clear way for Vamsi, the chief minister might nominate Yarlagadda to the council either under MLAs’ quota or Governor’s quota, sources said.
There is another rebel in Gannavaram – Dutta Ramachandra Rao. It remains to be seen how Jagan will deal with him, if he gives MLC ticket to Yarlagadda.