TRS nominates K Keshav Rao for Rajya Sabha polls

TRS today announced the candidature of its leader K Keshav Rao for the biennial elections to fill six vacancies in Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh.
Keshav Rao, who had served as state Congress president, would file his nomination either on January 27 or 28, TRS said in a release quoting its president K Chandrasekhar Rao.
TRS has 17 MLAs in the Legislative Assembly and is said to enjoy the backing of five rebel TDP MLAs. Still, the party falls short of the requisite strength (a minimum of 39 votes) for its candidate to see through.
Meanwhile, the ruling Congress and main opposition TDP are yet to announce their candidates.

Congress, with its strength of 146 MLAs, can win three seats on its own and will be left with surplus strength.
However, the ruling party is likely to face rebel trouble as its MLAs from Seemandhra are upset with the party's decision to divide the state.

Senior Congress MLA J C Diwakar Reddy and an MLC, both from Seemandhra regions, are said to be planning to enter the fray.
Meanwhile, TDP (with a strength of 74) can manage to win two seats though it may fall short by four.
The YSR Congress has already announced that it will not field candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections slated for February seven.