Andhra Pradesh: R Krishnaiah nominated by BJP for Rajya Sabha by-elections

Andhra Pradesh: R Krishnaiah, a prominent BC leader in both Telugu States, has been nominated as one of its candidates by the BJP for the by-election to Rajya Sabha.

The BJP on Monday announced three candidates, including former National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma from Haryana and Sujeet Kumar from Odisha.

Krishnaiah’s political journey

Krishnaiah is a native of Telangana but is a well-known face in Andhra Pradesh too.

Krishnaiah was originally nominated to Rajya Sabha from the YSRCP in 2022. However, he resigned from the party and Rajya Sabha, which necessitated a by-election.

Three vacancies arose in Andhra Pradesh when YSRCP members Venkataramana Rao Mopidevi, Beedha Masthan Rao Yadav and Ryaga Krishnaiah quit their membership in August. Yadav and Krishnaiah’s terms as Rajya Sabha members were to end on June 21, 2028, while Mopidevi was to retire on June 21, 2026.

Krishnaiah is a social activist known for his dedicated efforts to improving the lives of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and India. Over the past 45 years, Krishnaiah has been a prominent voice advocating for the upliftment of OBC communities through various platforms, including politics, education and legal reforms.

Krishnaiah was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the LB Nagar constituency in 2014, representing the Telugu Desam Party. His tenure as an MLA was marked by his steadfast commitment to championing the rights and welfare of marginalised communities. Throughout his political journey, he has consistently worked to promote policies to increase access to education, employment and social justice for OBCs.

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