Vijayawada: 2,387 candidates in fray for Assembly polls in state

Vijayawada : Highest number of 33 candidates are in the fray for Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency and lowest number of 12 candidates remained in contest for Rajahmundry parliamentary constituency. Likewise, highest number of 46 candidates are in the contest for Tirupati Assembly constituency while lowest number of six are in fray in Chodavaram Assembly constituency.

Giving details of number of valid nominations after withdrawals, Chief Electoral officer Mukesh Kumar Meena said a total of 2,387 candidates remained in the fray for the elections to the 175-member Assembly while 454 will be testing their electoral fortunes in 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

As many as 318 candidates withdrew their nominations for Assembly polls while 49 pulled out of the contest in Lok Sabha constituencies. The deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended on Monday but the election authorities released the details late on Tuesday.

A total of 2,705 nominations were found valid in all Assembly constituency while 503 nominations were accepted for Lok Sabha polls.

While Tirupati Assembly constituency is in the first place with 46 candidate, it is followed by Mangalagiri with 40 candidates. Only six candidates remain in the contest in the Chodavaram constituency, while there are seven candidates each in Tekkali, Srikakulam, Narasannapeta, Palakonda (ST), Kurupam (ST), Salur (ST), Cheepurapalle. Rajahmundry Rural, and Nagari.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer, 503 nominations were found valid for Lok Sabha elections. A maximum of 33 candidates are in the fray in the Visakhapatnam constituency, followed by 31 in Nandyal and 30 in Guntur.

There are only 12 candidates in Rajahmundry, and 13 candidates each are contesting in Araku (ST), Srikakulam, Eluru, and Hindupur. More than 4.08 crore, more than half of them women, are eligible to cast their votes.

A direct fight is likely in both the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls between the ruling YSRCPand the opposition National Democratic Alliance comprising the TDP, the Jana Sena Party JSP, and BJP.

The Congress, which drew a blank in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state both in 2014 and 2019, is the third biggest player. In 2019, the YSRCP wrested power from the TDP by bagging 151 Assembly seats. The TDP won 23 seats while JSP secured one seat.