SC, Muslim Candidates To Get 2 AP Council Seats

AMARAVATI: The two MLC vacant seats to be filled up as part of the governor's quota in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, are likely to be allocated to people from Scheduled Castes and the Muslim minorities. Indicating the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led state government’s inclination to this effect, sources in the ruling YSR Congress Party said that the government would recommend names to the governor soon.

Currently, there are four vacant seats in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council. Out of the four, two seats fell vacant with the resignation of Ministers Mopidevi Venkatramana and Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, who were recently elected to Rajya Sabha in biennial elections. The other two seats which are to be filled up became vacant as the tenure of Kantheti Satyanarayana Raju and Ratna Bhai ended.

Although the state government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to abolish the Council, it continues to be in existence due to the procedural delay involved at the central level. The government has no second thoughts on abolishing the council. A resolution to abolish the legislative council has already been passed and forwarded to the Union government. But the chief minister seems to be intent on filling up the vacant seats at least until the time the council exists.

In view of this, the chief minister is reportedly planning to allow one seat to the SCs and another to the Muslim community as part of the two seats to be filled up under the governor’s quota.