Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has named Satyavathi Rathod as its candidate for the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections under the MLA quota. Rathod, who belongs to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, has been chosen for a second consecutive term.
Despite having the numbers to secure only one MLC seat, BRS is set to field two candidates. However, the party has yet to finalize the name of its second nominee. Party chief K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) is reportedly considering RS Praveen Kumar and Dasoju Sravan for the position.
With 38 MLAs, BRS has issued a whip instructing them to vote for the party’s candidates. The leadership is also assessing potential risks in case any of its MLAs shift allegiance. A final decision on contesting for a second seat is expected today.
ALSO READ: KCR’s Strategic Move: BRS Considers Second MLC Candidate Amid Political Calculations
To secure an MLC seat, a candidate requires 21 MLA votes. According to internal estimates, BRS needs at least four additional votes to win a second seat. If a second candidate is fielded, the party may issue a whip to all MLAs elected under its symbol.
Meanwhile, BRS MLAs who recently defected to the Congress continue to claim their association with BRS. The party has challenged these defections in the Supreme Court, where the case remains pending. Fearing disqualification, the rebel MLAs maintain that they are still part of BRS. In response, the party leadership is devising strategies to expose their stance and intensify pressure on them.