The ruling YSR Congress on Monday announced the names of three candidates for the by-election to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council. The YSR Congress has named its three candidates – Minister Mopidevi Venkat Ramanna, former IPS officer Sheikh Mohammad Iqbal and former MLA Challa Ramakrishna Reddy for the MLC by-election.
The by-elections will be held on August 26 for 3 seats of the Legislative Council (MLC) by members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The seats were vacant after the resignation of three MLCs KB Murthy (TDP), one Kalikrishna Srinivas (YSRCP) and K Veerabhadra Swamy (YSRCP). The results will also be declared on the same day after the by-election on 26 August.
August 14 is the last date for filing nominations and August 19 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Election Commission officials said the nomination would be scrutinized on August 16. Ramanna was inducted into YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's cabinet on 8 June despite losing the Assembly elections to Repalle. Iqbal also failed in the assembly elections from Hindupur. Ramakrishna Reddy, who has been in TDP since 2014, has been an MLA. Just before the general election, he joined the YSR Congress. Iqbal and Reddy are from Kurnool district. These three seats will be won by the YSR Congress with 151 MLAs as the opposition Telugu Desam Party has only 23 members and is far from the by-election.
Along with the general elections held for the formation of the 17th Lok Sabha in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, assembly elections were also held in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.
