TDP releases candidates' list for Lok Sabha election

Amaravati, Mar 19 The Telugu Desam Party on Tuesday released its list of 25 possibility for the Lok Sabha election in Andhra Pradesh, holding a larger part of the sitting MPs while designating the family of the officeholders in a couple of constituencies.

Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister V Kishore Chandra Deo, who had recently joined the TDP, has been given the Lok Sabha ticket from Araku (ST) constituency.

Former Union ministers Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy and Panabaka Lakshmi, who, as well, quit the Congress in recent days, have been selected from Kurnool and Tirupati (SC) respectively.

Nandamuri Balakrishna's son-in-law, M Bharat, got the Visakhapatnam ticket.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, his child Nara Lokesh and Balakrishna are contesting the Assembly elections, while Bharat has now been given the Lok Sabha ticket.

Animal Husbandry Minister C Aadinarayana Reddy is being handled from Kadapa Lok Sabha voting public as part of an intra-party adjustment.

Environment and Forests Minister Sidda Raghava Rao has been picked as the competitor from Ongole after a great deal of obstruction from party cadres against his nomination.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Ganti Mohana Chandra Balayogi's child, Harish, has been given the Amalapuram (SC) ticket.

As sitting MPs from Anantapuramu and Rajamahendravaram, J C Diwakar Reddy and Maganti Muralimohan quit challenge this time, their family Pawan Reddy (child) and Maganti Roopa (daughter-in-law) have been given tickets from the respective constituencies.

Former Union minister P Ashok Gajapati Raju has been re-nominated from Vizianagaram, while other sitting MPs K Rama Mohan Naidu, Galla Jayadev, Kesineni Srinivas (Nani), Maganti Venkateswara Rao (Babu), Konakalla Narayana, Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, Sriram Malyadri, Nimmala Kistappa and N Siva Prasad have been given tickets once more.

There was speculation that Rayapati Sambasiva Rao may bounce to the YSR Congress, irritated over disavowal of Assembly ticket for his child, in any case the TDP seemed to have convinced him against doing as such.

With its sitting MPs from Kakinada and Anakapalli, Thota Narasimham and M Srinivasa Rao, deserting to the YSRC, the TDP had to pick new candidates, C Suneel and An Anand, for these seats.

Nandyal MP S P Y Reddy, who defected from the YSR Congress, has been denied a ticket. Though Reddy looked for the ticket for his little girl, Sujala, due to his medical issues, the TDP did not oblige. The father-daughter duo is now getting ready to contest as Independents for the parliamentary and assembly elections.

Legislator D Satyaprabha has been picked as the Lok Sabha candidate from Rajampet segment.

For Narasapuram and Nellore seats, the TDP designated V Sivarama Raju and Beeda Mastan Rao individually.

In 2014, the BJP had won Visakhapatnam and Narasapuram seats in alliance with the TDP.

There are 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state and it will go to polls in a single phase on April 11.