Vijayawada: The Telugu Desam has released its final list of candidates, covering nine assembly and four Lok Sabha seats for the coming elections in AP.
Notably, two rebels from the YSR Congress got the TD tickets in the this round. The party, however, ended the uncertainties surrounding key constituencies such as Cheepurupalli and Bheemili.
In a strategic move, former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao has been nominated for Bheemili.
With this final list, the TD has completed the release of names for 144 assembly seats that it is contesting. The Jana Sena will contest 21 seats and the BJP 10, out of the total 175 seats.
As for the Lok Sabha election, the TD will contest 17 seats, the BJP six and the Jana Sena two.
YSRC rebel and Ongole MP Mangunta Srinivasulu Reddy got TD ticket for the Ongole LS seat and another YSRC rebel Gummanur Jayaram got the TD ticket for the Guntakal assembly seat.
Notably, the TD has made significant changes in its candidate selection process, opting to replace its nominee for Kadiri with Kandikunta Prasad, the husband of Kandikunta Yasoda, a former MLA.
This shift reflects a recalibration of TD's electoral strategy to optimise its chances of win in the elections and bolster its representation across diverse constituencies.
Former minister Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao has been fielded from Cheepurupalli to fight education minister Botsa Satyanarayana of the YSRC. Another former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao will contest from Bheemili.
The other assembly candidates of the TD are as follows: Paderu (ST) - Killu Venkata Ramesh; Darsi - Dr Gottipati Lakshmi; Rajampet - Sugavasi Subrahmanyam; Alur - Veerabhadra Goud; Guntakal - Gummanur Jayaram; Anantapur Urban - Daggubati Venkateswara Prasad; and Kadiri - Kandikunta Venkata Prasad.
The MP candidates of the TD are: Vizianagaram - Kalisetty Appala Naidu; Ongole - Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy; Anantapur - Ambika Lakshminarayana; and Kadapa - Chadipiralla Bhupesh Reddy.
A tussle is on between the BJP and TD in respect of some seats. Clarity would emerge soon. The BJP is reportedly seeking Rajahmundry Rural or Urban seat to accommodate its former state unit president Somu Veerraju.
TD initially wanted Ganta Srinivasa Rao to contest from Cheepurupalli. He insisted that he be fielded from Bheemili. Thus, the TD brought in another senior leader Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao to fight Botsa Satyanarayana.
Gummanru Jayaram, who was a minister in the Jagan Reddy cabinet till recently, quit the YSRC and joined the TD. He was fielded for the Guntakal assembly seat. It
Notably, the YSRC offered the Kurnool Lok Sabha seat to Jayaram, but he refused to take it. Hehad expected renomination from Alur. However, even the TD shifted him to Guntakal assembly constituency.
