Curtains up for graduates, teachers MLC elections

Tirupati: Political heat is generated suddenly with the announcement of MLC election schedule for biennial elections to the Legislative Council from graduates' and teachers' constituencies along with one seat from local body's constituency from Chittoor district. The elections to graduates' and teachers' constituency from Prakasam – Nellore – Chittoor districts became inevitable as the present MLCs Y Srinivasulu Reddy and Vitapu Balasubrahmanyam will be retiring on March 29. Similarly, the MLC from Local Authorities constituency in Chittoor district BN Rajasimhulu will be retiring on May 1.

The ruling YSRCP as well as opposition TDP have started their determined bids to win the graduate MLC seat and selected their candidates around October 2022 itself and started campaigning. YSRCP has laid one step ahead and conducted meetings in several Assembly segments to motivate the party cadres to work for the party candidate Pernati Shyam Prasad Reddy with an aim of winning the seat with a huge majority.

TDP also started campaigning in favour of its candidate Dr K Srikanth while PDF has decided to field M Venkateswar Reddy. However, for the Teachers' constituency, PDF has announced P Babu Reddy as its candidate while the YSRCP and TDP have not made their choices yet. Similarly, it was not yet clear whether BJP and Jana Sena will field their candidates for these elections.

Significantly, both the teachers' and graduates' constituencies from Prakasam, Nellore and Chittoor districts have been currently represented by PDF candidates Y Srinivasulu Reddy and Vitapu Balasubrahmanyam.

Now, the YSRCP and TDP have been putting all efforts to wrest both the seats from PDF.

Also, the term of MLC BN Rajasimhulu of TDP will come to an end by May 1. As YSRCP has a complete majority in local bodies, its candidate will be elected to the Council beyond any doubts. It has to be seen whom the ruling party will field from this seat keeping in view its political compulsions. A final picture on the candidates will soon come out as filing of nominations has to be done from February 16 to 23.