Amaravati, May 22: The ruling NDA, led by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), is expected to secure all four Rajya Sabha seats in the elections scheduled for June 18 in Andhra Pradesh.
The TDP is likely to retain two seats while allocating one seat each to its allies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP).
The Election Commission of India announced the election schedule for 24 seats across ten states, including Andhra Pradesh, on Friday. The notification will be issued on June 1, with the last date for filing nominations set for June 8. If necessary, voting will take place on June 18.
The terms of four Rajya Sabha members from Andhra Pradesh will end on June 21. The retiring members include Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Nathwani Parimal, Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose (from the YSR Congress Party), and TDP’s Satyish Babu.
Given its strength in the 175-member assembly, the NDA is poised for a unanimous victory. The TDP holds 135 seats, while its allies, the Jana Sena and BJP, have 21 and 8 seats, respectively. In contrast, the YSRCP has only 11 seats.
Satyish Babu, a businessman turned politician, was one of the three NDA candidates elected unanimously in December 2024. These elections were held to fill vacancies created by the resignations of YSRCP members Mopidevi Venkataraman Rao, B. Mastan Rao, and Krishnaiah.
While Mopidevi and Mastan Rao joined the TDP, Krishnaiah expressed his intention to focus on strengthening the backward classes’ movement.
In the by-elections, the TDP fielded Satyish Babu and Mastan Rao, while the BJP nominated Krishnaiah. All three were elected unopposed.
The BJP has opened its account in the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh, and the TDP has returned to the upper house after a brief absence. Due to insufficient numbers in the assembly, the TDP could not participate in the Rajya Sabha elections held in February 2024, marking the first time in its four-decade history that it had no representation in the Rajya Sabha. This time, Satyish Babu is likely to be retained, as he is considered close to the party’s executive president, Nara Lokesh. Several contenders are vying for the second seat from the TDP.
Chief Minister and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu has already decided to leave one seat each for his allied parties.
The Jana Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, will make its debut in the Rajya Sabha.
The BJP is also expected to secure its third Rajya Sabha member from Andhra Pradesh. Last April, Paka Venkata Satyanarayana from the BJP was elected unanimously to fill the seat vacated by YSR Congress’s V. Vijayasai Reddy.
–
Leave a Comment