Final selection of TG RS candidates hinges on Cong-DMK alliance talks

Hyderabad: The nomination process for the Rajya Sabha elections began on Thursday with several leaders from the Telangana unit of the Congress actively lobbying for the two vacant seats from the state. However, party sources indicated that the final selection of candidates from Telangana will be taken up only after the Congress finalises its alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu.

According to sources in New Delhi, the Congress has reportedly sought 39 Assembly seats and two Rajya Sabha seats as part of its alliance negotiations with the DMK in Tamil Nadu. The DMK, however, is understood to have offered 25 Assembly seats and one Rajya Sabha seat, citing commitments to accommodate other allies.

Sources said that the allocation of Rajya Sabha tickets by the Congress high command could change depending on the outcome of these talks. If the DMK agrees to allot a Rajya Sabha seat to Congress in Tamil Nadu and the alliance is finalised, the party leadership will then decide whether to field senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi from Telangana or Tamil Nadu.

There is speculation that the high command may nominate Abhishek Manu Singhvi from Tamil Nadu and subsequently decide the two candidates for Telangana. Another possibility under discussion is allotting one Telangana seat to an AICC official spokesperson and the other to a leader recommended by the Telangana Congress leadership. Alternatively, the party could nominate Singhvi from Telangana and field the spokesperson from Tamil Nadu.

Party sources cautioned that multiple options remain under consideration and that fresh developments cannot be ruled out.

The final decision on the Telangana Rajya Sabha nominees, sources added, will depend entirely on the outcome of the Congress–DMK alliance negotiations. Talks between the two parties are ongoing, and once an agreement is reached, the party high command is expected to consult the Telangana leadership to finalise the names for the two seats.