The TRS has reportedly decided to put up its Nalgonda district president Banda Narender Reddy and employees’ union leader G Deviprasad for the Graduates’ Constituency MLC elections. An official announcement is likely on Saturday.

Deviprasad quit his government job Friday, making it indirectly clear that he could be the party candidate for the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar seat. According to sources, KCR had initially proposed Deputy CM K Srihari’s name for the Warangal-Nalgonda-Khammam seat but the latter expressed his preference to be nominated either from the Governor’s quota or local bodies. Srihari was of the view that leaders from a section of a community in both the TDP and Congress would make all-out efforts to scuttle his winning prospects in retaliation for the ouster of T Rajaiah from the State Cabinet.

These issues were reportedly discussed at a meeting of senior party leaders in the presence of the Chief Minister on Friday. KCR is learnt to have tried to impress upon Srihari that he would personally ensure his victory to show that the popularity of his government was still intact. However, the Deputy CM and some other ministers reportedly felt it was risky to put the government’s prestige at stake.