NDA Candidates Submit Nominations for By-elections to 3 Rajya Sabha Seats in Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, Dec 10 (NationPress) Candidates associated with the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Andhra Pradesh submitted their nominations on Tuesday for the by-elections concerning three Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

Beedha Masthan Rao and Sana Satish represented the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), while R. Krishnaiah filed his papers as a candidate from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Agriculture Minister and TDP leader K. Atchannaidu, along with several MLAs from the three NDA partners, were present when the candidates submitted their nominations to the returning officer at the State Legislature complex.

Interacting with the media, the candidates expressed their gratitude to their respective parties for their nominations. They pledged to contribute their utmost to the state’s development.

The TDP and BJP nominees emphasized their commitment to working under the guidance of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to advance Andhra Pradesh on the developmental front.

Krishnaiah, who has advocated for backward classes for over 50 years, stated that his connection with the RSS has developed his leadership skills, and he would persist in his efforts for the advancement of backward classes (BCs).

Tuesday marked the final day for submitting nominations for these by-elections. If necessary, polling will take place on December 20.

Given the NDA's strength in the 175-member Assembly, it is highly probable that the election of all three candidates will be unanimous. The TDP holds 135 seats, while its allies, Jana Sena and BJP, account for 21 and 8 seats respectively.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which lost its power to the NDA in the elections conducted in May, currently has only 11 MLAs.

The vacancies arose due to the recent resignations of Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao, Masthan Rao Yadav, and Krishnaiah, all from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

Mopidevi and Masthan Rao joined the TDP after resigning from the YSRCP in August, while Krishnaiah affirmed his dedication to bolstering the backward class movement.

Mopidevi's term was set to last until June 21, 2026, whereas the other two candidates’ terms were to conclude on June 21, 2028.

Masthan Rao, a businessman, and Krishnaiah will reclaim their positions in the Rajya Sabha, while Satish, transitioning from business to politics, will be entering as a Member of Parliament for the first time.

Masthan Rao had left the TDP to join YSRCP in 2019, shortly after YSRCP achieved victory in the elections. In 2022, Jagan Mohan Reddy awarded him a Rajya Sabha seat.

He was elected as MLA on a TDP ticket from Kavali in 2009 but faced defeat in the 2014 elections. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Nellore Lok Sabha seat on a TDP ticket in 2019.

With the election of Masthan Rao and Satish, the TDP will make a return to the Upper House of Parliament.

The TDP previously abstained from the Rajya Sabha elections held in February due to insufficient numbers in the Assembly. For the first time in its four-decade history, the TDP had no representation in the Rajya Sabha.

Krishnaiah, who serves as the president of the National BC Association, was elected to the Telangana Assembly from the L.B. Nagar constituency in 2014 under a TDP ticket but later shifted allegiance to the Congress party before the 2018 elections.

During the 2018 Assembly elections in Telangana, he ran unsuccessfully on a Congress ticket from the Miryalaguda constituency.

In 2019, he left the Congress party and joined YSRCP at the invitation of Jagan Mohan Reddy, and he was unanimously elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2022.