Will “Namaste Telangana” Damodar Rao be made Rajya Sabha member?

The political circles in Telangana are abuzz with the talk of media baron and telugu daily Namaste Telangana’s owner D Damodara Rao being nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Damodara Rao, a close relative of CM KCR, is reportedly being considered for the Rajya Sabha in place of Banda Prakash. Sources also say that he is the first choice of the Chief Minister.

Banda Prakash, a Mudiraj from Nalgonda district and a Rajya Sabha member, was made an MLC from the MLAs quota as a counterweight to Eatala Rajender. As a result, there would be a bypoll for the Rajya Sabha seat which fell vacant because of Prakash’s resignation. Several key leaders such as Planning Board vice-chairperson Boyinapalli Vinod, former MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and Damodara Rao are in the race for the seat.

However, KCR has reportedly promised Damodara Rao a stint in Rajya Sabha. Hence, his name is being heard prominently. Sources say that he would be nominated to the post and would serve the remaining term of Banda Prakash.

If nominated, he would become the third mediaperson from Telangana to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Till now Rapolu Ananda Bhaskar, a senior journalist, was the only one to be nominated to Rajya Sabha from the media circles. Deccan Chronicle’s owner T Venkatrami Reddy served as a Rajya Sabha MP for one term. Another senior journalist Syed Ameen Jaffri was made the MLC on the MIM ticket.