Andhra MLC polls: PCC leader quits

The TRS’s house too is not in order. Out of its 26 MLAs, nine have decided to oppose TRS chief MP K Chandrasekhara Rao. They have decided to cast their votes in favour of an Independent candidate. On Tuesday, Chandrasekhara Rao paid a personal visit to the BJP’s state office in Hyderabad to thank BJP state president Bandaru Dattatreya for the party’s support. They also announced that they would have a “long-term alliance to achieve separate Telangana state”, hinting at a possible alliance in the next Assembly elections.

The BJP in Andhra has traditionally allied with the anti-Telangana TDP. In 2005, the two decided to part ways, and the BJP has since pledged itself to the cause of a separate Telangana. The TDP now has the support of only the CPI(M). The Council will have a total of 90 members, of which 31 will be elected by MLAs. For these 31 seats, 32 candidates have been put up. The Congress and TDP have put up one more candidate than they can elect.

Despite the horse-trading, the Congress is expected to be able to elect all its candidates into the Upper House because of its numbers. Party sources said, the MLAs will already have pledged their votes by tonight, and the actual voting will become just a formality. Polling has already taken place for other constituencies.