Aspirants to contest the forthcoming biennial Rajya Sabha elections have intensified their efforts to seek tickets from both Congress and the TDP. The elections will be held on March 30 to elect six candidates to the upper house in place of four congress members and two TDP members who are retiring on April 2.

The fighting is more intense in the TDP with nearly seven aspirants seeking tickets for two seats which the party is likely to win.

K Keshava Rao, G Sanjeeva Reddy, Dasari Narayana Rao and Rashid Alvi of the Congress, MV Mysoora Reddy of the TDP and Syed Azeez Pasha of the CPI are retiring and elections will be held to elect fresh members in their place.

Out of the four congress candidates, Keshava Rao may be re-nominated as the congress high command thinks he may turn problematic on the issue of Telangana in case he is not re-nominated. Rashid Alvi is likely to be fielded from UP. Even trade union leader Sanjeeva Reddy is likely to be re-nominated from another state. Dasari Narayana Rao may be replaced by mega star Chiranjeevi despite the recent statements of the actor he has not heard from the party high command so far on the issue.

Former ministers YS Vivekananda Reddy and Md Ali Shabber, industrialist GV Krishna Reddy, congress spokesperson Renuka Choudary and former Speaker KR Suresh Reddy are reportedly vying to get congress tickets.

From the TDP which can win the two seats on its own strength, former minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, sitting MP Mysoora Reddy, party financier CM Ramesh, senior leaders K Ramamohana Rao, Varla Ramaiah, T Devender Goud and Kadiam Srihari are seeking tickets for the two seats. (J)