Even as 10 AP Legislative Council members, elected by MLAs, are set to retire on March 29, congress leaders have already started lobbying for the MLCs seats. With in fifteen days of their retirement, new members should be elected as per the rules.

To get elected to the Council, each member should get the votes of 29 MLAs and at this rate TDP will get 3 seats for its members as it has strength of 90 MLAs. With the backing of the PRP, the congress can win the remaining seven seats. But the congress leadership has promised two seats to the PRP as a goodwill gesture for its merger with the congress. It has also promised one seat each to the TRS and the MIM leaving only three seats for the congress leaders.

As the available seats for the congress are only three, an intense fight began among the congress leaders who are out to grab them at any cost. The most prominent among those seeking seats in the Council are the PCC chief D. Srinivas, former minister Shabbir Ali and former Speaker Suresh Reddy.

Apart from the 10 members to be elected by the MLAs, four seats in the nominated category are also falling vacant. The Governor will fill the vacancies in this quota.