The Congress Legislature Party in Telangana on Sunday, August 18, endorsed the candidature of Abhishek Singhvi for the upcoming Rajya Sabha byepoll in the state. The senior Congress leader is likely to file his nomination papers on Monday.
Referring to the disputes with the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh following the bifurcation in 2014, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy said that Singhvi's election to the Rajya Sabha would help Telangana to safeguard and secure its rights. "I wholeheartedly invite him on behalf of Telangana as Rajya Sabha member," he said.
Singhvi expressed that it is an honour for him to have been nominated as the party candidate for the Rajya Sabha byepoll in Telangana.
The byepoll was necessitated after K Keshava Rao resigned from the Upper House after quitting the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. Rao has joined the Congress.
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.
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.