TDP and Jana Sena on Saturday jointly released the first list of 118 candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, keeping the doors open for the BJP in the rest in view of ongoing negotiations over seat sharing between the three parties.
TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu released a list of 94 candidates and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan who is a NDA ally said they will contest in 24 Assembly seats and 3 MP seats while pointing out that the seat allocation was done keeping BJP in mind.
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The state will go for simultaneous polls for Parliament and Assembly with 25 MP and 175 MLA seats in contention.
“I decided to contest only 24 Assembly seats to get a 98 per cent striking rate and also 3 Parliamentary seats which cover another 40 seats. I wanted to keep this alliance strong. The BJP will be accommodated if they decide to join the alliance,”said Pawan Kalyan speaking at the joint press conference at TDP headquarters at Undavalli.
He hinted that he has sacrificed some seats for the BJP. He added that it was imperative to ensure vote transfer between TDP and Jana Sena. The two parties will hold their first joint public rally on 28 February at Tadepalligudem.
Jana Sena declared candidates for only 5 seats. Pawan Kalyan who contested two seats in 2019 will contest only one this time.
Naidu said “We have finalised these 94 candidates after taking the opinion of the people. We have given priority to youngsters and educated candidates and have also ensured sufficient representation to the BCs. We have provided opportunity to 23 fresh faces,” while slamming the chief minister for nominating rowdies and sandalwood smugglers.
He said “ TDP-JSP is ready for election war. This alliance is for a brighter future of Andhra Pradesh.”
Among the key candidates Chandrababu Naidu himself will be contesting from his long held seat, Kuppam , while his son and party general secretary Nara Lokesh will fight elections from Mangalagiri where he had lost the election last time.
In Hindupur TDP retained NTR’s son and Telugu actor N Balakrishna as its candidate. The TDP ticket for Sattenapalle went to Kanna Lakshminarayana who shifted his loyalties from BJP to TDP. YSRCP dissidents like Kotumreddy Sridhar Reddy were also accommodated.
TDP leader and former MLC B Tech Ravi will contest against YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the latter’s bastion Pulivendula.
