Former state minister Dokka Manikya Varaprasad, who had resigned as a TDP MLC in January, filed his nomination for the same post as the YSRCP candidate on Thursday. Varaprasad had quit the TDP and joined the YSRCP in March, a few weeks after resigning as MLC.
Varaprasad’s resignation had come at a critical time, as the TDP, which has a majority in the Legislative Council, was trying to stall two major bills which would allow the shifting of the capital from Amaravati. The TDP managed to obstruct the bills, with the Chairman of the Legislative Council referring the Bills to a select committee, based on demands from the TDP.
The Legislative Assembly, where the YSRCP enjoys a massive majority, then passed a statutory resolution seeking to abolish the Council. The resolution is pending approval from the Union Cabinet, following which the matter will be placed before the parliament.
Speaking about the YSRCP’s government’s intentions to abolish the Council, YSRCP MLA Ambati Rambabu said that as long as the Council continues to function, the YSRCP will contest any vacancies.
At the time of his resignation, Varaprasad had said that he was resigning to oppose the decentralisation of Amaravati as the state capital. In his letter to the Chairman of the Legislative Council, Varaprasad even wrote that he had decided not to contest all upcoming elections in protest.
Yet, he soon joined the YSRCP. While doing so, he said that he meant to join the YSRCP in 2014-15 itself, but instead joined the TDP due to “unavoidable circumstances”.
Before joining the TDP in 2014, Varaprasad was a Congress leader. He was the MLA from Tadikonda (SC) constituency for two terms, winning the Assembly elections in 2004 and 2009. He has also been the state education minister.
In 2019, he contested the Assembly elections from TDP from the Prathipadu (SC) constituency. He lost to the YSRCP candidate and present Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharitha.