RS polls: TDP decides not to contest, first time since party’s inception

Amaravati: In a major political development, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu has decided to stay away from Rajya Sabha Elections 2024.

On Wednesday, Naidu held a meeting with the Party candidates and took the decision, owing to the poor strength of the party in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

This is for the first time that the TDP is not contesting for the Rajya Sabha elections. The biennial Rajya Sabha elections for 56 seats across 15 states will be held on February 27. Out of 56, 28 are from BJP, 10 from Congress, four from AITC, three from BRS, two each from RJD, JDU and BJD and one each from TDP, YSRCP, Samajwadi Party, NCP and Shiv Sena.

Speaking to NewsMeter, a TDP leader said "The decision by Naidu was taken after the party lacks enough number of candidates to contest. The party’s candidate should secure 44 votes to win the Rajya Sabha seat in the elections. The TDP won 23 MLA seats in the 2019 Assembly elections, but following the departure of five of its MLAs, the party’s strength has been reduced to 18 in the Assembly."

Andhra Pradesh elects 11 seats and they are indirectly elected by the state legislators of Andhra Pradesh. After formation of Telangana State in 2014, 7 seats were allotted to Telangana, and 11 seats to Andhra Pradesh. The number of seats, allocated to the party, are determined by the number of seats a party possesses during nomination and the party nominates a member to be voted on.

Who are the candidates who quit TDP?

Four candidates including Vishakapatnam (South) MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar, Karanam Balarama Krishna Murthy (Chirala), Maddali Giridhara Rao (Guntur West), and Vallabhaneni Vamsi (Gannavaram) quit TDP party.

TDP has no representation in Upper House

For the first time in Rajya Sabha since its inception, TDP will have no representation in the Upper House of the Parliament as its only member Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar’s tenure is ending on April 2. Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and CM Ramesh are the other two MPs whose tenure will also come to an end.

Meanwhile, three Rajya Sabha seats are going to be vacant in Andhra Pradesh. The term of office of CM Ramesh, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar will end on April 2. With this, the Election Commission has released a notification to hold elections in these three seats. The last date for filing nominations is till February 15.

Meanwhile, the ruling YSRCP will get three seats in the assembly. CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has already announced three Rajya Sabha candidates: YV Subbareddy, Meda Raghunadha Reddy and Golla Baba Rao as candidates.

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