Lobbying on for city's local MLC seat

Intense lobbying is on in the Congress Party for the elections of lone seat of State Legislative Council under the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency whose notification will be issued on Monday.

While sitting MLC MS Prabhakar is seeking re-nomination as he has served a term of only two years, sources say that Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee president and Labour Minister D Nagender has been trying to nominate one of his close associate for the MLC post.

As per the strength enjoyed by different parties in the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency, the Congress enjoys a clear majority with 79 members in an electoral college of 156 voters. The voters include 99 GHMC Corporators, eight members of Secunderabad Cantonment Board, three Lok Sabha MPs, 10 Rajya Sabha members, 20 MLCs and 16 MLAs.

Of them, Congress has 79 voters which include 35 GHMC Corproators, 8 Cantonment Board members and 36 Ex-Officio members including Union Ministers Jairam Ramesh, K Chiranjeevi and Sarve Satyanarayana. Similarly, MIM has strength of 49 voters including 39 Corporators and 10 Ex-Officio members. While the Telugu Desam has 21 members including three Rajya Sabha MPs, the BJP has seven votes including one MLA.

It may be mentioned that MIM leader Aminul Hasan Jaferi was elected as MLC from the same constituency due to party's alliance with the Congress Party. However, with the parties severing their ties and due lack of required numbers, this time the MIM is not likely to contest the elections. Similar is the case with TDP.

Therefore, the analysts say that the Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency might not witness any contest this time too and the Congress nominee might be elected unanimously. However, the selection of Congress candidate will depend upon intense lobbying.