Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday filed his nomination papers for the September 3 Telangana Rajya Sabha by-election in the presence of chief minister A Revanth Reddy, his deputy Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and other Cabinet colleagues. Congress’s Telangana in charge Deepa Das Munshi was among others present when Singhvi submitted his papers to returning officer Upender Reddy.
The resignation of K Kesava Rao, who defected from the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to the Congress, necessitated the by-election. Singhvi is likely to get elected to the Upper House unopposed, as the BRS has decided against fielding its candidate. There was no word from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has just eight lawmakers in the 119-member Telangana assembly, on fielding its candidate.
Singhvi was introduced to lawmakers who endorsed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha seat at the Congress legislature party meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday. He thanked the lawmaker for supporting him. Singhvi said it was an honour for him to have been nominated for the Rajya Sabha by-poll in Telangana. Singhvi earlier met Keshava Rao and thanked him for his support.