TRS MAY SEEK 5

Polls will be held for six vacancies and the ruling TRS will get four seats and the Congress and TD-BJP combine will get one each. It is certain that ministers Kadiam Srihari and Tummala Nageswara Rao, who will have to get elected the expiry of the six month period, will make be nominated. For the remaining two seats, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has reportedly decided in favour of Mr B. Venkateswarlu, who shifted from the TD, and former deputy chairman of Council Mr N, Vidyasagar Rao, exCongress.

TRS sources said Mr Rao was yet to make up his mind on fielding a fifth candidate. If TRS does so, elections will be forced. Else, they would be unanimous.

TRS may not have it easy if it fields the extra candidate; there have been instances when ruling party candidates have lost due to secret voting. Precautions need to be taken to ensure a win for the extra candidate, besides securing a win for the official nominees.

18 MLAs = 1 MLC

■ Each of the six MLCs need 18 MLAs’ votes to win in the first count

■ If only six nominations are filed, there will be no polling on June 1. Candidates will be elected unopposed on May 25 after the expiry of withdrawal time.

■ TRS, with 63 MLAs and 13 ‘defector’ MLAs, will bag four. Congress, with 18 MLAs, will win one, TD-BJP, with 16 MLAs, will need second preference votes in case of an election.