No one else filed nomination papers; BRS, AIMIM and CPI support Prasad Kumar's candidature.
Published Dec 13, 2023 | 8:24 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 13, 2023 | 8:24 PM
Gaddam Prasad Kumar. (Wikimedia Commons)
Former minister and Vikarabad MLA Gaddam Prasad Kumar is set to be elected unanimously as the Speaker of the third Telangana Assembly, when it resumes its first session on Thursday, 14 December.
His election has become a foregone conclusion with no one else filing nomination papers. The deadline for filing nomination papers was 5 pm on Wednesday.
In a benign gesture, the Opposition BRS supported the candidature of Kumar, who will be the first Dalit Speaker of Telangana.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, his deputy Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, former BRS ministers KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao were among those present when Kumar filed his nomination papers around 12.30 pm.
The AIMIM and the CPI also extended support to his candidature.
Revanth Reddy from the ruling Congress, and BRS working president KTR signed the nomination papers, seconding Kumar.
The BJP MLAs, however, were not present when Kumar filed the papers.
The Legislature Secretary had earlier informed that the nominations would be accepted between 10.30 am to 5 pm on Wednesday, while the election would take place on Thursday.
Prasad Kumar, MLA from Vicarabad (SC), had served as a minister during the Congress regime in undivided Andhra Pradesh.
AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, who was appointed as the Pro Tem Speaker, administered the oath of office to the newly-elected MLAs on 9 December.
The BJP MLAs, however, stayed away from the House, alleging that Owaisi was appointed in violation of rules.
The Congress won 64 seats in the recently-concluded Assembly polls and its pre-poll ally CPI got one seat.
The BRS bagged 39 seats while its “friendly party” AIMIM was victorious in seven seats. The BJP secured eight seats.
