Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP announces 18 candidates for upcoming MLC elections

Amaravati: The YSRCP has announced the names of 18 candidates for the upcoming MLC elections. On Monday, YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Rama Krishna announced the MLC list for the upcoming MLC elections that are scheduled to be held on 13 March.

Among the list, nine are selected under the local bodies quota, seven under the MLA quota, and two under the Governor quota. Out of the 18, the YSRCP has selected 11 BCs, four OCs, two SCs, and one ST candidate. “Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy selected the names of candidates for the MLC polls keeping in mind social justice by ensuring political, social, and economic empowerment of the Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Minorities,” said Mr. Sajjala.

Local bodies Quota

MLA Quota

Governor Quota

"The total strength of the Legislative council is 58, out of which 18 of these seats will go vacant in March. Continuing the practice of empowering the people from all communities, CM Jagan has once again announced that out of those 18 seats, close to 80% of them will be given to leaders from SC, ST, BC and minority communities. In all, out of the total 44 seats (including the 18 seats that will go vacant), CM Jagan has given a whopping 68%, i.e. 30 seats, to leaders from SCs, STs, BCs and minority communities while the remaining 14 have been given to the OC leaders," said Mr. Sajjala.

He said that this is not the first time CM Jagan has voiced for the equal representation of the backward communities. In 2019, when CM Jagan formed his cabinet, of the 25 ministers, 56% of them were from the SC, ST, OBC and minority sections of the society. Keeping the same motto of fair social representation, in April 2022, during the cabinet rehaul, CM Jagan once again broke all records by having close to 70% of the cabinet with SC, ST, BC and minority community leaders.

Meanwhile, during Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure in 2014, the cabinet saw less than 40% representation from SC, ST, BC and minority communities while the OCs representation was close to 60%. Between 1995 and 2019, TDP government had ignored the SCs, STs, BCs and minorities even in Rajya Sabha as their representation in the upper house remained at 2. It is interesting to note that from 2014 to 2019, not even one SC, ST, BC or minority was given the Rajya Sabha seat by TDP, showing how these communities were disregarded by the then Chandrababu Naidu-led government. But in stark contrast, out of the 9 YSRCP Rajya Sabha members, 4 of them belonged to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities.

Earlier, the Election Commission of India (ECI) released the schedule for biennial elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council to elect 13 MLCs – eight from local authorities and five from graduates and teachers’ constituencies.

Poll schedule for MLC elections

· Last date of filing nominations: February 23

· Scrutiny of nominations: February 24

· Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: February 27

· Date of Poll: March 13, 2023 (Monday)

· Counting of Votes: March 16

· Date before which election shall be completed: March 21