Andhra MLC polls: Pitching for social justice, CM Jagan allots lion’s share to BC candidates

The MLC polls are going to be held under the Local Bodies Constituencies (LBCs, 9 seats), MLA quota (7), and the Governor quota (2).

For the LBC seats, the YSRCP has fielded six BCs, 2 OCs and 1 SC candidate. Of the party’s 7 nominations under the MLA quota, 4 have been allotted to the BCs cndidates, 2 to OCs, and 1 to the SC. One candidate each from the BCs and the ST categories have been nominated under the Governor quota.

“We do not just talk of social justice and equality, we ensure it and this MLC nominations list is proof how much importance we are giving to BCs and marginalised communities,’’ said Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, the YSRCP leader and advisor to the Jagan Mohan Reddy government (public affairs), who released the list.

Sajjala said that CM Jagan finalised the names of candidates for the MLC polls in light of the principles of social justice meant for ensuring the social, political, and economic empowerment of the BCs, SCs, STs and minorities. “The names of the candidates were selected so as to empower the marginalised communities and deliver social justice whether it is the MLC polls or the Cabinet,’’ he said.

Jagan’s fresh social engineering move for the MLC polls has come in the run-up to the high-stakes state Assembly elections due in April 2024.

Under the LBC quota, the YSRCP has fielded Narthu Ramarao from the Srikakulam seat, Kudupudi Suryanarayana from East Godavari, Vanka Raveendranath and Kavuru Srinivas from West Godavari, Meruga Muralidhar from SPSR Nellore district, Sipayi Subramanyam from Chittoor, Pnnapureddy Ramasubbareddy from YSR district, A Madhusudhan from Kurnool, and S Mangamma from Ananthapuramu.

For the MLA quota constituencies, the party has nominated V V Suryanarayana Raju from Vizianagaram, Pothula Sunitha from Bapatla, Kola Guruvulu from Visakhapatnam, Bommi Israel from Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema, Jayamangala Venkataramana from Eluru, Chandragiri Yesuratnam from Guntur, and Marri Rajashekar from Palnadu.

Under the Governor quota, the YSRCP has nominated Kumbha Ravibabu from Alluri Sitharama Raju district, and Karri Padmasri from Kakinada.

The last date for filing nominations in the MLC polls is February 23 and the scrutiny will be done on February 24, while the last date for withdrawal is February 27. The polling will take place on March 13 and counting on March 16.

In the 58-member Legislative Council, the YSRCP has 32 members, TDP 16, Progressive Democratic Front 4, BJP 2, and the Independent 4.

In the 175-member Assembly, the YSRCP has 151 MLAs. The party is thus likely to sweep the MLC polls.

The principal Opposition TDP, led by Chadrababu Naidu, has 23 MLAs while the Jana Sena Party has 1 MLA. For the MLC elections, the TDP has announced just one name, Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao, from Vizianagaram under the MLA quota so far.