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EC notifies bye-polls for three Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra

Yadav and Krishnaiah resigned with up to four years left in their respective tenures while Rao had up to two years, dealing a major blow to the YSRCP, which quickly lost three members from the Council of States in succession.

Currently, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party has only eight Rajya Sabha members (Photo: Jagan Mohan Reddy/ Chandrababu Naidu/ X)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has notified the schedule for bye-polls to fill three vacant Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra Pradesh following the resignations of YSRCP RS members M Venkata Ramana, B Mastan Rao Yadav and BC leader R Krishnaiah.

Yadav and Krishnaiah resigned with up to four years left in their respective tenures while Rao had up to two years, dealing a major blow to the YSRCP, which quickly lost three members from the Council of States in succession.

The TDP-led NDA alliance is poised to capture three Rajya Sabha seats in the ensuing bye-elections scheduled on December 20, powered by its brute majority of 164 seats in the southern state’s Assembly.

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The TDP enjoys 135 Assembly seats followed by Jana Sena (21) and BJP (8). N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP is expected to get a foothold in the Rajya Sabha as it currently has no representation while the YSRCP may not contest the elections as it does not have the required numbers.

For the first time in about 40 years, the TDP has no representation in the Upper House as it refrained from contesting the Rajya Sabha elections earlier this year due to a lack of a sufficient number of MLAs which could end soon.

The counting of votes of the bye-elections is scheduled for December 20.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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