Hyderabad, March 4 (NationPress) The Congress party has chosen to nominate senior leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi alongside Vem Narender Reddy, a close associate and advisor to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, as candidates for the Rajya Sabha from Telangana.

The party's leadership opted for Singhvi for a subsequent term and favored Narender Reddy over several seasoned leaders who were also strong contenders.

Both Singhvi and Narender Reddy are set to submit their nominations on Thursday, which is the final day for nomination filings.

The elections for two Rajya Sabha seats from the state are on the calendar for March 16.

The terms of the current members, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and KR Suresh Reddy, are concluding on April 9, prompting the need for elections.

Suresh Reddy currently leads the BRS Parliamentary Party, while Singhvi was elected to his seat as a Congress candidate in 2024, succeeding K. Keshava Rao, who resigned after joining the Congress.

The high command has decided to reappoint Supreme Court attorney Singhvi to the upper House for another term due to his legal expertise and articulate presence in Parliament, which are viewed as significant assets for the party at the national level.

Numerous senior leaders actively lobbied for the second ticket. Veteran Congress figure Shyam Mohan Anantula, Chief Minister’s advisor Vem Narender Reddy, former Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao, Chairman of the Telangana State Planning Board G Chinna Reddy, former MP Madhu Yaskhi Goud, and Chairman of the Telangana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Commission M Kodanda Reddy were among the aspirants.

In the meantime, Narender Reddy expressed gratitude on social media towards AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, MP Priyanka Gandhi, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Congress Affairs In-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, and PCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud.

Following Congress's rise to power in Telangana a few months ago, Narender Reddy was appointed as the Advisor (Public Affairs) to the Chief Minister.

A former MLA from Mahabubabad, Narender represented the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the united Andhra Pradesh and was elected as an MLA in 2004.

He made an unsuccessful attempt to win a byelection from the Hanumakonda constituency in 2012 and also contested for the MLC seat from the MLAs’ quota in 2015 without success.

Narender joined the Congress alongside Revanth Reddy before the 2018 State Assembly elections, and they have maintained a cordial relationship since their days in the TDP.