Chiranjeevi likely to make it to Rajya Sabha

Hyderabad: Megastar Chiranjeevi is likely to get elevated soon to the Rajya Sabha from a member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. His candidature is almost certain for one of the four seats that the ruling Congress can win in the biennial elections to the Upper House of Parliament from the state slated for 30 March. The Congress, as part of his Praja Rajyam Party’s merger deal last year, promised to induct Chiranjeevi into the Union Cabinet by nominating him to the Rajya Sabha. Six seats will fall vacant in April with the retirement of four Congress members and one each of CPI and TDP. [caption id=“attachment_234631” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Megastar Chiranjeevi is likely to get elevated soon to the Rajya Sabha. AFP”] [/caption] Going by the current strength in the Assembly, the Congress can win four and the TDP two seats. There is intense competition in the Congress for the other three seats with some heavyweights lobbying hard for a chance. Former Union minister Dasari Narayana Rao, who is among the four retiring members, is seeking re-election though he hasn’t openly expressed it so far. Another former Union minister Renuka Chowdary, currently an official spokesperson of Congress, is using her clout in New Delhi to make it to the Rajya Sabha while Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is said to be pushing the case of industrialist GV Krishna Reddy, head of GVK group. Telangana protagonist K Keshava Rao, who too will retire in April, is desperately trying for a second term. He has been maintaining a tacit silence of late on the statehood issue to remain in the good books of the party high command. The known Telangana supporters in the party as well as the chief minister are said to be, however, opposing Keshava Rao’s re-nomination. PTI