Andhra Pradesh's ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Thursday night announced its first list of candidates for next month's Assembly elections, containing 126 names. Chief Minister and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu declared the list after the politburo, the highest decision-making body of the party, approved the names.
With the announcement of the first list, the party had launched its mission to secure 150 seats in the 175-member Assembly, he said.
Naidu, who will be seeking re-election from Kuppam constituency in his native Chittoor district, said candidates from backward and weaker sections and those with good record were given priority.
According to the list, Naidu's son Nara Lokesh will contest from Mangalagiri constituency in state capital region Amaravati. Lokesh, currently a minister in Naidu's cabinet and a member of the Legislative Council, will be making his debut in a direct election. Naidu's brother-in-law and Lokesh's father-in-law, actor Balakrishna will seek re-election from Hindupur.
Naidu has given tickets to most of his cabinet colleagues. While his Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu will contest from Tuni, his Education Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao will contest from Visakhapatnam North constituency. Tourism Minister Bhuma Akhila Priya, the youngest minister in Naidu’s cabinet was also given a ticket from her home turf of Allagadda. Former Chief Minister and Congress leader N Kiran Kumar Reddy's brother N Kishore Kumar Reddy, who recently joined the TDP, has been given ticket from Pileru constituency.
The Kinjarapur family, which enjoys influence in Srikakulam district, bagged four tickets. While the sitting MP is Kinjarapur Rammohan Naidu, his uncle and sitting minister Atchannaidu was renominated from Tekkali. Rammohan’s sister, Adireddi Bhavani and his father in law and former minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy have got assembly tickets from Rajahmundry city and Kothapeta in East Godavari district respectively.
The state with 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies is set to witness polls in a single phase on April 11. These elections are going to be the first in residual Andhra Pradesh following the state’s bifurcation.
Filing of nominations for both Assembly and Parliament will take place between March 18 and March 25 and results will be announced on May 23, the Election Commission earlier said.
Naidu is expected to announce the remaining candidates for Assembly and all candidates for Lok Sabha seats in few days. Find the full list below.
IANS inputs