Two politicians must be thanking Eatala Rajender, not KCR, for securing MLC tickets from the MLA quota in Telangana. The two leaders, who must surely be thankful to Eatala are Padi Kaushik Reddy and Rajya Sabha MP Banda Prakash. It is being said that both the leaders are meant to act as a counterweight to Eatala.

Padi Kaushik Reddy is from Huzurabad and has fought incessantly against Eatala over alleged land deals. In fact, Kaushik Reddy had lodged several complaints against Eatala. He joined the TRS with a view to contest against Eatala. However, some unforeseen political developments kept him out of the fray. But, he worked incessantly during the elections and among the very few TRS leaders. KCR has apparently made him an MLC to ensure that there was a counterweight to him in Huzurabad.

The other beneficiary is Rajya Sabha MP Banda Prakash. Prakash is a Mudiraj, the caste to which Eatala belongs. He is also the president of the State Mudiraj Association. He is deemed quite important. He has been brought in to ensure that other Mudiraj leaders do not go with Eatala. Banda Prakash may also be made a minister to prevent Mudirajs from going into the BJP.

Banda Prakash has three more years of Rajya Sabha term. Anyone who gets elected in the bypolls to his Rajya Sabha seat would have a three-year term. Perhaps Kavitha Kalwakuntla could be made a Rajya Sabha member, sources say.