Jana Sena fields Lingamaneni Ramesh for Andhra Pradesh Rajya Sabha polls on June 18
Synopsis
Jana Sena has picked Lingamaneni Ramesh — a loyalist since 2015 who held firm through the party's 2019 rout — as its Rajya Sabha candidate for the 18 June election. With NDA holding 164 of 175 assembly seats, all four seats are a foregone conclusion, but the nomination signals how Pawan Kalyan rewards ideological staying power over electoral clout.
Key Takeaways
Jana Sena announced Lingamaneni Ramesh as its Rajya Sabha candidate on 5 June , approved by Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan .
Ramesh will file his nomination on Saturday ; the election is scheduled for 18 June .
Under NDA seat-sharing, TDP contests 3 seats and Jana Sena contests 1 of the four available.
NDA holds 164 of 175 assembly seats (TDP: 135, Jana Sena: 21, BJP: 8), making a clean sweep near-certain.
The four vacancies arise as sitting members' terms end on 21 June , including three from YSRCP and one from TDP .
Jana Sena Party on Friday, 5 June announced Lingamaneni Ramesh as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled on 18 June from Andhra Pradesh. The decision was approved by Jana Sena President and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, with Ramesh set to file his nomination on Saturday.
Who Is Lingamaneni Ramesh
Ramesh has been associated with Jana Sena and Pawan Kalyan since 2015. According to a party statement, he was drawn to Pawan Kalyan's vision of state development through harmony among social groups and what the party describes as 'proper social engineering.' Jana Sena noted that Ramesh stood by the party and its leadership through the difficult period following the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when the party faced adverse results, and remained committed to its ideology under considerable pressure.
What Ramesh Said
Accepting the candidature, Ramesh expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for their support on behalf of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led alliance. 'My goal will be to ensure that the voice of the common citizen is heard in the Rajya Sabha. I will uphold the trust that Pawan Kalyan garu has placed in me,' he said. Ramesh added that he views the nomination not as a position but as a significant responsibility, pledging to work in line with public aspirations and the state's development.
NDA Seat-Sharing Arrangement
Jana Sena's announcement came a day after the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners formalised their seat-sharing agreement. Of the four Rajya Sabha seats up for election on 18 June, TDP will contest three and Jana Sena the remaining one. Given the NDA's commanding majority in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly — where TDP holds 135 seats, Jana Sena 21, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 8 — the alliance is widely expected to win all four seats. The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) holds only 11 seats.
Why These Seats Are Vacant
The four vacancies arise as the terms of sitting members expire on 21 June. The retiring members are Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Nathwani Parimal, and Pilli Subhaschandra Bose — all of YSRCP — and Sana Satish Babu of the TDP. Satish Babu was among three NDA candidates elected unopposed in December 2024 to fill mid-term vacancies created when Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao, B. Masthan Rao, and R. Krishnaiah — all formerly of YSRCP — resigned following the NDA's landslide in the May 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Mopidevi and Masthan Rao subsequently joined the TDP, while Krishnaiah announced his focus on strengthening the backward class movement.
What Happens Next
With Ramesh filing his nomination on Saturday and the election set for 18 June, the NDA's arithmetic in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly makes a clean sweep of all four seats a near-certainty. The outcome will further consolidate the alliance's presence in the Rajya Sabha from the state.
Point of View
Or whether the party remains a junior voice in an NDA bloc that TDP dominates from Andhra Pradesh.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lingamaneni Ramesh and why has Jana Sena fielded him for the Rajya Sabha?
Lingamaneni Ramesh is a businessman-turned-politician who has been associated with Jana Sena and Pawan Kalyan since 2015. Jana Sena fielded him because he remained loyal to the party through its difficult phase after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in line with the party's stated policy of rewarding ideological steadfastness.
When is the Andhra Pradesh Rajya Sabha election scheduled?
The Rajya Sabha election for four seats from Andhra Pradesh is scheduled for 18 June. The terms of the four sitting members expire on 21 June, creating the vacancies.
How many Rajya Sabha seats is the NDA contesting in Andhra Pradesh?
The NDA is contesting all four available seats — TDP will field candidates for three and Jana Sena for one, following an alliance agreement sealed on 4 June. Given NDA's 164-seat majority in the 175-member assembly, the alliance is expected to win all four.
Which members are retiring from the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh?
The four retiring members are Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Nathwani Parimal, and Pilli Subhaschandra Bose of YSRCP, and Sana Satish Babu of TDP. Their terms end on 21 June.
What is the current assembly strength of the NDA in Andhra Pradesh?
In the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly, TDP holds 135 seats, Jana Sena 21, and BJP 8, giving the NDA a combined 164 seats. YSRCP, the main opposition, holds only 11 seats.
