Marri Rajasekhar, Yesuratnam to contest MLC elections

Guntur: The YSRCP leadership on Monday announced the names of former MLA Marri Rajasekhar and Guntur Mirchi Yard chairman Chandragiri Yesuratnam to contest MLC elections under MLAs quota to be held next month.

According to party sources, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised a berth in the State Cabinet to Marri Rajasekhar for supporting and cooperating Minister Vidadala Rajini in Chilakaluripet in Assembly elections. He was to be accommodated in the State Legislative Council long ago. At last, Jagan fulfilled his promise now.

Leaders belonging to Backward Castes Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao and Chandragiri Yesuratnam contested in 2019 Assembly elections and got defeated. Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao was elected to Rajya Sabha. Chandragiri Yesuratnam will contest in the MLC elections under MLAs quota.

The YSRCP has sufficient majority in the Assembly and the election of Chandragiri Yesuratnam and Marri Rajasekhar is nominal. BC voters will play a key role in Guntur West Assembly constituency. At present, MLA Maddali Giridhara Rao belongs to Vysya community representing Guntur West Assembly constituency. Taking BC votes in the constituency into consideration, the party is fielding Chandragiri Yesuratnam in MLC elections. If the party fields Maddali Giridhara Rao in the coming Assembly elections, the party is feeling that Vysyas, Reddys and BC voters will support him.