Notification for AP Rajya Sabha seats issued

Hyderabad, Mar 10 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Secretary Tuljanand Singh today issued notification for six seats of Rajya Sabha that would fall vacant from the state.

According to the schedule, nominations for the six seats will be accepted till March 17. On March 18, the nominations would be scrutinised and withdrawals would be allowed till March 20. Polling, if necessary would be held on March 28, said Mr Singh.

Strengthwise, of the six seats, Congress may win five and the opposition TDP may win one.

Of the five seats, Congress had already announced that it would allot one to its ally CPI as it had already accommodated another ally CPI(M). Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's close friend and government Advisor K V P Ramachandra Rao's name has almost been confirmed, sources said.

There is a heavy competetion for the remaining three seats. PCC President is one of the aspirants. He has been summoned to New Delhi by the AICC for consultations on the finalisation of candidates.

TRS, the estranged ally of Congress, expressed anger at the decision of the latter to allot one seat to CPI which has only six MLAs and not TRS which has 26 MLAs. It has also announced that it would contest the election on its own.

UNI ASJ/JRK PK HT2234