Singhvi files nomination papers for Rajya Sabha by-poll

Hyderabad: The AICC leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha by-poll for the Council of States from Telangana in the presence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, key party leaders, and his Cabinet colleagues in the Assembly.

The senior Congress leader and noted Advocate Singhvi on Monday filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha by-poll to be held on September 3. He submitted four sets of papers to the returning officer, Upender Reddy. Each of the four sets of papers was supported by 10 MLAs.

The Telangana seat, which was represented by K Keshava Rao fell vacant following his resignation and necessitated the bypoll. The AICC leader is likely to get elected unopposed, as BRS has decided not to field any candidates as it does not have the required numbers to win the contest. With August 21 as the final day for filing nomination papers, if no other candidate submits a nomination, Singhvi will be declared the MP. If another candidate files a nomination and takes part in the contest, the bypoll will be held on September 3, the scheduled date for the election of 12 seats across nine States. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and senior AICC spokesperson Singhvi had recently lost to the BJP's Harsh Mahajan on the basis of a draw of lots in Himachal Pradesh during the Rajya Sabha election.

Being the ruling party in Telangana for Congress, his win is likely to be a piece of cake, even as the party at the national level is taking this as prestige and trying to wrestle maximum seats. In the State Assembly, the Congress has 75 MLAs, including ten who have shifted loyalties from BRS and one Legislator from the friendly CPI party.