Telangana CLP endorses Singhvi for RS bypoll; to file nomination today

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The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Telangana on Sunday night endorsed the candidature of Abhishek Singhvi for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll in the state.

The Congress leader and senior lawyer will file his nomination papers on Monday.

Talking to reporters after a meeting of the CLP here, Telangana Chief Minister and state Congress president A Revanth Reddy said Singhvi was introduced to Congress MLAs, MPs and MLCs at the meeting.

Reddy said he wholeheartedly invited the legal luminary. Singhvi will file his nomination on Monday.

Referring to the disputes with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh following its bifurcation in 2014, he said Singhvi's election would help in highlighting Telangana's concerns and problems not only in Parliament but also in courts.

Singhvi's election to the Rajya Sabha would help Telangana to safeguard and secure its rights, Reddy said.

"I wholeheartedly invite him on behalf of Telangana as Rajya Sabha member," he said.

The CLP meeting expressed gratitude to the Congress leadership for finalising Singhvi's candidature, party sources said.

Earlier in the day, Singhvi said it is an honour for him to have been nominated as the party candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in Telangana.

Singhvi met Congress leader K Keshava Rao here. Rao's resignation from the Upper House after quitting the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to join the Congress necessitated the bypoll.

"It is my honour to have been nominated from Telangana," Singhvi told reporters.

Rao had expressed confidence that the bypoll would be unanimous in view of the majority of the ruling Congress in Telangana and said Singhvi would be introduced to the party MLAs.

The strength of Congress in the 119-member Telangana Legislative Assembly is 65. About 10 MLAs of the BRS have joined the ruling Congress since the assembly elections last year. The BRS has sought their disqualification.

Singhvi also met Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other Congress leaders in Hyderabad.

Singhvi was welcomed at the airport here Sunday morning by Congress MP Mallu Ravi, Telangana Congress working president Mahesh Kumar Goud, state government advisor on protocol Harkara Venugopal and others when he arrived.

"Received warm welcome by INC Telangana leaders. Reached here today to campaign for RS elections," Singhvi said on X.

The Congress had announced Singhvi's candidature for the bypoll in Telangana on August 14.

Elections to 12 Rajya Sabha seats in nine states, including Telangana, will be held on September 3.

Earlier this year, Singhvi had lost the Rajya Sabha election from Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh. BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan won the February 27 election through a draw of lots after both candidates secured 34 votes each.