YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has reportedly decided to nominate Toomati Madhava Rao for the vacant post of Deputy Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council.
Jagan gave directions to the party’s MLCs during a meeting held at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli. He asked all party legislators to extend their full support to Madhava Rao’s candidature and coordinate closely to ensure that the election process proceeds smoothly.
Vacancy Created After Zakia Khanam’s Term Ended
The Deputy Chairman’s post became vacant following the completion of the tenure of Zakia Khanam, who had earlier been given the position during the YSRCP government.
The party had previously appointed Zakia Khanam, a minority woman, as Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council. She later left the YSRCP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Although Khanam had reportedly attempted to resign from both her MLC position and the Deputy Chairperson’s post, she withdrew her resignation as her remaining tenure was relatively short. With her term subsequently coming to an end, the Deputy Chairman’s position fell vacant.
Madhava Rao’s Candidature Gains Political Significance
Jagan’s decision to nominate Toomati Madhava Rao for the key Legislative Council post has assumed political significance within the YSRCP.
Madhava Rao has considerable political experience spanning several years. He began his political career with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 2005. In 2009, he joined the Congress and worked to strengthen the party in the Kandukur Assembly constituency.
Journey from YSRCP Constituency In-Charge to MLC
Following the death of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Madhava Rao joined the YSRCP and served as the party’s in-charge for the Kandukur constituency.
He sought the party ticket in the 2014 and 2019 elections but was not given an opportunity to contest. Despite this, he continued to work for the party and played a key role in supporting YSRCP candidates during the elections.
Unanimous Election as MLC in 2021
In 2021, Madhava Rao was elected as an MLC from the Prakasam district Local Authorities’ Constituency.
As he was the only candidate to file a nomination, he was elected unanimously and subsequently took oath as a member of the Legislative Council.
Another Key Milestone in His Political Career
With Jagan now deciding to nominate Toomati Madhava Rao for the Legislative Council Deputy Chairman’s post, the senior YSRCP leader could be set to take on another important responsibility.
The proposed candidature is being viewed as a significant milestone in Madhava Rao’s political career and could further strengthen his role within the YSRCP’s Legislative Council strategy.
