MLC Elections: Whom Will MIM Support?

The fast approaching MLC elections are likely to give some clarity about the MIM’s leaning. The elections for the MLA Quota-based MLC seats would be held very soon and BRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao is already in a fix about how to sail the situation.

For the two MLC seats to be filled under that quota, 40 MLAs would have to vote for each MLC candidate. In such a case, the Congress cannot win both the seats while the BRS can’t win at least one.

The Congress has only 64 MLAs and after deleting 40 votes for one MLC, there will be 24 votes remaining which will not be sufficient for the second candidate. 

Coming to the BRS, there are only 39 MLAs which means that to win at least one MLC seat, it has to get the support of one other MLA from outside the party. 

In normal circumstances, it would not have been hard for the BRS to get that one MLA as the MIM will support it. But with the changed situation, will the MIM support the BRS?

Once the power has shifted to the Congress, even the MIM has changed its tune. If the MIM continues to support the BRS, it will have to face problem with the ruling Congress in the state. So, the BRS will not get the support of the MIM.

The BRS chief is worried over what would happen to his party if the Congress decides to win the second MLC seat too.

If the Congress will have to win the second MLC seat, it has to get the votes of 16 MLAs, which will certainly be drawn from the BRS. The idea is sending jitters down the spine of the BRS leadership.

In that case, who would cross vote to the Congress from the BRS? It is pertinent to note that KCR himself encouraged cross voting and shift of loyalties among political leaders in the past.

If the Congress too resorts to the same tactics, what would be the fate of the BRS?

If 16 MLAs are to be lost to the Congress, the BRS will be left with only 23 MLAs and even among them, there is a lot of uncertainty as to how many would stick to the party.