The Congress party maintained a status quo by renominating its sitting MPs for the ensuing biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh here on Thursday night.
Accordingly, all the four MPs — N. Janardhana Reddy, V. Hanumantha Rao, Union minister Jairam Ramesh and Jesudasu Seelam are renominated.
While Mr Reddy is the former chief minister, Mr Hanumantha Rao is an OBC from the Telangana region and Mr Seelam is a dalit.
All the three belong to Andhra Pradesh. Environment minister Jairam Ramesh is the only candidate who is outside the state.
The party high command renominated him ignoring opposition by a section of state leaders. This will be Mr Jairam Ramesh’s second term.
The party will not be contesting a fifth seat mainly because it lacks adequate numbers to win the seat.
The Praja Rajyam Party led by Chiranjeevi has decided to back the Congress nominees in the Rajya Sabha elections.
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Cong, JD-S deal bid fails
Age Correspondent
Bengaluru
June 3: After high drama, the Janata Dal(S) and the Congress failed to seal a deal for the Rajya Sabha polls on Thursday. The imp-act was felt directly on the Legislative Council polls as the JD(S) which had fielded a second candidate hoping for Congress support in the council polls, withdrew the candidate at the last minute. Former MLA A. Suryanarayana Reddy of JD(S) withdrew his candidature at the instance of party leaders. Congress leaders called JD (S) state unit president H.D. Kumaraswamy for talks and while leaving for New Delhi he had requested the party to withdraw its second candidate.