TRS may send Prakash Raj to Rajya Sabha

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is likely to nominate actor- politician Prakash Raj to the Rajya Sabha.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is believed to be considering the name of Prakash Raj, who recently emerged as a key figure in the TRS President’s efforts to cobble together a national alliance.

Prakash Raj is reported to have met Chandrasekhar Rao twice at his farmhouse at Erravalli a couple of days ago. The meeting assumed significance in the wake of the series of consultations the TRS chief is having with the party leaders to select three candidates for the upcoming elections to Rajya Sabha.

The polling for one Rajya Saba seat will be held on May 30. The vacancy arose due to the resignation of Banda Prakash after he was elected to the Telangana Legislative Council. May 19 is the last date for filing of nomination.

The Election Commission on Thursday announced the schedule for two seats of the Upper House of Parliament as sitting members V. Lakshmikanta Rao and D. Srinivas will be retiring on June 21.

The election notification for the two seats will be issued on May 24. The last date for filing of nominations is May 31. Election, if necessary, will be held on June 10.

With more than 100 MLAs in 119-member Assembly, the TRS has the required strength to win all the three seats.

KCR has already announced his intention to play a key role in national politics. He is likely to nominate a couple of leaders who can help the party in playing the role.

Prakash Raj, a popular actor in south Indian films, is being seen as a key member of KCR’s team to forge a front of like-minded regional and national parties.

The actor was present during KCR’s meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar in Mumbai in February.

Prakash Raj also accompanied election strategist Prashant Kishore during the latter’s visit to Mallanna Sagar reservoir in Siddipet district of Telangana in the last week of February.

A bitter critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the actor enjoys good rapport with leaders of various parties in his home state Karnataka and also in Tamil Nadu.

This was not the first time that Prakash Raj was seen taking an active part in the political deliberations around the front.

He was also seen with KCR in 2018 when the latter held a series of meetings with leaders of various political parties to prepare ground to launch an alternate front.

Prakash Raj, who claims to be a strong believer in secularism and unity in diversity, had used various forums to launch a bitter attack on policies pursued by the Narendra Modi government since 2014. He had also taken active part in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

He had unsuccessfully contested as an independent from Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha in 2019 elections. Last year, he suffered defeat in the election for the President of Movie Artists Association (MAA), the apex body of Telugu film industry.