Former Pradesh Congress President Dharampuri Srinivas has been elected unopposed as a member of the Legislative Council.
Since D Srinivas was the lone candidate for the MLC elections for the vacant seat, he was declared elected, by Assembly Secretary Raja Sadaram, on Thursday. He was also awarded the certificate of his election as MLC.
Later, Legislative Council chairman Dr. A Chakrapani administered the oath of office and secrecy to Srinivas.
Talking to media persons, D Srinivas said that he would continue to work as a loyal worker of the Congress party.
Regarding Telangana, he said that he never changed his stand on the issue, and that he still favours statehood for the region.
He said that the issue must not create a rift amongst Telugu-speaking people, and that the process of separation should be amicable and peaceful.
Srinivas also denied reports that he was nominated for the post because of his Telangana origin.
He said that the Congress has always recognised the services of loyal workers and that he was glad his service has been recognized. He said that he got the MLC seat only after it fell vacant when K Rosaiah resigned from it after being made the Governor of Tamil Nadu.
DS claimed that he never aspired for any posts, and that he has always discharged responsibilities assigned to him by the party.
Several ministers, including K Jana Reddy, D Sreedhar Babu, B Saraiah and Sunita Laxma Reddy, MP Madhu Yashki Goud, MLAs Gade Venkat Reddy, JC Diwakar Reddy, Nandishwar Goud and Anil Kumar, were present on the occasion. (INN)