PCC chief in dilemma over a safe seat

The turn of events seem to be going against Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas whose aspiration to make it to the House has received a jolt.Srinivas seems to be enjoying the status of a PCC chief but not the loyalty of all the  Congress leaders in the state.

After losing the Assembly election in Nizamabad, the PCC chief is seeking his entry into the bi-cameral House through the Legislative Council.  However, his efforts are being  thwarted by Shabbir Alli, a former minister in YSR’s Cabinet who is also seeking his election as an MLC from the same constituency.

With MLC elections round the corner, Srinivas has realised that it would be tough for him to get elected from his own constituency (Nizamabad), he opted to make his entry into the House as an MLC.

As reported earlier, the Election Commission has decided to hold elections to three seats of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council on May 7.  

Congress is leaving one seat to the Majlis Ittehadul-Muslimeen, while another is being allotted to the Praja Rajyam Party whose  support the party is banking upon in the coming days. The lone seat, which is being allotted to the Congress candidate is being hotly contested by Srinivas and Shabbir Ali.

According to close Congress circles, Shabbir Ali called up the PCC president and requested  him to withdraw from the race. What transpired between the two is not known. But, a section of the Congress leaders is trying to stall the chances of Srinivas by raking up the issue that he is not a native of Hyderabad.

The Congress leadership may ask Srinivas to contest the Assembly byelections from Nizmabad and the PCC chief may turn down the offer.

How things will shape up is anybody’s guess.