All praises pouring in for YSRCP supremo and Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jaganmohan Reddy for unbiased, healthy and balanced selection of MLC candidates.
The YSRCP announced its candidates for the six vacancies to the State Legislative Council under the MLA quota. YSRCP supremo and Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy picked Balli Kalyan Chakravarthy, Md Iqbal, Challa Bhagiradh Reddy, C Ramachandraiah, Md. Karimunnisa and Duvvada Srinivas as its nominees.
Jagan selected these candidates after a series of meetings with the party senior leaders. It appears that the YSRCP supremo treaded cautiously by balancing regional and community representations, while upholding the assurances he had made in the past.
“Our party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy selected the candidates after discussions with senior leaders. The candidates will file their nomination papers as per their convenience before the stipulated time,” said YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy.
He pointed out that the party gives importance to the minorities so two leaders from the Muslim community have been nominated. “A conscious decision has also been taken not to field candidates for the teachers’ constituencies,” said Sajjala.
The Election Commission of India had last Thursday issued the poll schedule for five members of the Legislative Council whose term will expire on March 20 and also to fill a vacancy that was caused due to the death of sitting member Challa Ramakrishna Reddy.
Members whose term will end are Gundumala Thippe Swamy, Gummidi Sandhya Rani, Vattikuti Veera Venkanna Chowdary, Shaik Mohammed Iqbal and Subhaschandra Bose Pilli’s seat which was vacant from July 2020 due to his resignation.
The notification will be issued on February 25 and the last date to file nominations is March 4 and withdrawal of candidature is March 8.
While polling will be held on March 15 between 9 am and 4 pm, counting will be held after 5 pm and results will be declared thereafter.
Since the YSRCP has majority MLAs all its candidates are expected to be elected unopposed. Due to lack of strength, the TDP would not be able to field its candidate for even one vacancy.
Balli Chakravarthy is the son of Tirupati MP Balli Durgaprasad who died of Covid a few months ago. Jagan had promised MLC seat to Durgaprasad’s son instead of the party ticket in the ensuing by-poll to Tirupati Lok Sabha segment. Jagan may pick his personal physiotherapist Dr Maddila Gurumurthy as the Tirupati Lok Sabha candidate from YSRCP.
A retired senior police official Md Iqbal has been re-nominated since his earlier term was short. As the sitting MLC Challa Ramakrishna Reddyd had died recently due to illness, Jagan, who visited his residence, had promised the seat to his son Challa Bhagirath Reddy. C Ramachandraiah, a former minister, hails from Kadapa has some influence among Balija community in Rayalaseema region and had joined YSRCP from Congress in 2018.
Ramachandraiah is known for his opposition to Naidu. After working with the TDP for nearly two decades, he quit the TDP as he was dejected with Naidu’s style of functioning.
The surprise pick among the latest lot is Mohammed Karimunissa who is party’s corporator from 54th ward in Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.
Duvvada Srinivas is the party’s Tekkali segment in charge in Srikakulam. He lost to Kinjarapau Rammohan Naidu in the 2019 polls for Srikakulam Lok Sabha. However he had put up a mighty fight and Naidu could scrape through with little margin of 6,658 votes. #KhabarLive #hydnews
