Ex-MP Masthan Rao likely to contest RS polls on behalf of TDP

Nellore : Former YSRCP Rajya Sabha member Beeda Masthan Rao who had joined the TDP recently, is likely to contest the Rajya Sabha elections from the party in the ensuing elections in October.

After quitting from YSRCP, a few days ago Beeda Masthan Rao met Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and his son and Human Resources Development Minister N Lokesh and expressed his intention to return to his parent political party TDP. The Chief Minister and his son welcomed the ex-MP to join the TDP to strengthen the party in Nellore district. They have also assured to provide him due recognition in the party.

Naidu informed Masthan Rao that the TDP could not earlier nominate him to the Rajya Sabha as the party did not have adequate strength in the State Assembly.

According to highly placed sources, the Chief Minister has decided to finalised his candidature of ‘Beeda’ for Rajya Sabha on behalf of the TDP as his victory would be unanimous with party having absolute majority in the Assembly. Thus Masthan Rao who had been the Rajya Sabha MP from YSRCP for two years, would again get elected to the upper house of Parliament this time on behalf of the TDP.

Beeda Masthan Rao (66) belongs to the Backward Classes and hails from Iskapalle village in Bogole mandal in SPSR Nellore district.

He is the elder brother of present TDP national secretary Beeda Ravichandra. ‘Beeda’ started his political journey as Bogolu ZPTC member and he got elected on TDP banner in 2001.

Later, he became MLA of Kavali constituency on behalf of the TDP by defeating Congress nominee Katamreddy Vishnu Vardhan Reddy recording a majority of 19,027 votes.

However in 2014, he had contested from the same constituency on behalf of the TDP and was defeated in the hands of YSRCP nominee Ramireddy Prathapkumar Reddy. He lost the election by 4,969 votes.

Later, he contested for Nellore MP seat on TDP ticket in 2019 elections and was defeated by YSRCP nominee Adala Prabhakara Reddy by a margin of 1,48,571 votes.