Competition for MLC Post in BRS
In Hyderabad, there is strong competition within the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) post. Several leaders, including candidates from minority, Backward Classes (BC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities, are trying hard to secure the position.
According to party sources, senior leaders Md Mahmood Ali, D Sravan Kumar, and Satyawathi Rathod are making serious efforts to get the post. The Election Commission of India has announced a notification to fill five council seats under the MLA quota. If necessary, elections will be held on March 20. Based on its strength in the Assembly, BRS is expected to win one out of the five available seats.
The term of five current MLCs – Seri Subhash Reddy, Satyawathi Rathod, Mahmood Ali, Yegge Mallesham, and Mirza Riyaz-ul-Hassan from AIMIM – will end on March 29. Mahmood Ali, a senior leader from the minority community, is actively seeking another term. He recently met party chief K Chandrashekar Rao and invited him to his grandson’s wedding, which is scheduled for next month. Party insiders say he took this step early to strengthen his position before other candidates could lobby for the post.
Satyawathi Rathod, a sitting MLC, is also hopeful of being re-elected. She was appointed as a party whip just a month before her term ended, which gives her confidence that the party leadership will support her again.
Meanwhile, Dasoju Sravan Kumar, a senior leader from the BC community, is also expecting to secure the post. He previously missed out on a Council seat under the Governor’s quota when the then-Governor rejected his nomination. With the party now focusing on attracting BC voters, Sravan Kumar sees a strong chance this time. Sources suggest that BRS is keen on supporting BC candidates, as they make up 56.33% of the total population. Party leaders believe that sidelining this major voter group affected their chances in the last two elections, and they do not want to repeat the same mistake.
