AP elections: TD-JS alliance releases its first list

VIJAYAWADA: Telugu Desam and Jana Sena released on Saturday their first joint list of 118 candidates for the forthcoming elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly. The list has 94 nominees of the TD and 24 of JS.

Significantly, TD chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who released the list along with Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan, disclosed that in case BJP joins their alliance, a suitable decision will be taken.

However, the chances of a TD-JS-BJP alliance are bleak, as candidates for a majority of seats have been announced.

A study of the list reveals that Telugu Desam has allotted 20 seats to the Kamma community. This is the highest number of seats the community has been allotted by the key opposition party.

Announcing the list, both Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan maintained that social justice has been given the highest priority while selecting the candidates. Further, women have a better opportunity.

“Keeping in view the interests of the state, both TD and Jana Sena have come together to jointly contest the upcoming elections. The alliance is not in the interest of two parties or individuals, but for the progress of five crore people of Andhra Pradesh," Naidu said.

Appreciating Pawan Kalyan for announcing popular and known candidates, the former CM maintained that the TD candidates too are very capable. "Perhaps for the first time in my political life, I have done so much exercise to select candidates. I collected the opinions from 1.3 crore people, besides views of the party activists," he maintained.

Naidu said of the 94 TD candidates, 23 are first-timers. An opportunity has been provided to IAS officers, doctors and graduates, who are answerable to the people. Comparatively, he alleged, YSRC has fielded smugglers of red-sanders, rowdies and goondas.

Interestingly, Pawan Kalyan said, "Instead of taking more seats only to experiment, we felt it is better to take a limited number of seats in the alliance to safeguard the interest of the state. Our sole aim is to bring the state back on track. Jana Sena only wants to save the state from this atrocious rule.”

The JS chief said his party will contest from three Lok Sabha constituencies, which have 21 Assembly segments. “In a sense, we are in the race from 45 segments. Soon after our government is formed, those who have made sacrifices for the party will be given nominated posts," Kalyan said.