AP Assembly Elections 2019: Candidates, Political Parties, Symbols

Andhra Pradesh is heading for Elections for the 15th Legislative Assembly which will be held on April 11. The state will hold assembly polls concurrently with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

With 175 Assembly constituencies, Andhra Pradesh will vote to elect members to the 176-member Vidhan Sabha with 175 elected members in and one member nominated to the legislative assembly of the state.

Counting of votes will take place on May 23, 2019, with the results of the Assembly Elections to be announced on the same day. As for the nominations, the last day for Assembly Elections is March 25 and the last date of withdrawing nominations is March 28, 2019.

The major parties contesting in the Assembly Elections 2019 include,

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) - N Chandrababu Naidu

YSR Congress - YS Jagan Mohan Reddy

Jana Sena - Pawan Kalyan

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - Kanna Lakshminarayana

Congress - N Raghuveera Reddy

Praja Shanti - KA Paul

Lok Satta - Jaya Prakash Narayana

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] - BV Raghavulu

Communist Party of India (CPI) - Kankanala Narayana

Election Symbols for the political parties -

TDP - Cycle

YSR Congress - Ceiling Fan

Jana Sena - Glass Tumbler

BJP - Lotus

Congress - Hand

Praja Shanti - Eye

Lok Satta - Whistle

CPI(M) - Sickle and hammer, intersecting each other

CPI - Ears of corn and a sickle

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) pulled out of the National Democratic Alliance in March 2018 following the Centre's refusal to grant the Special Category Status (SCS) to AP.

In response, the BJP announced that they will contest in all 175 assembly constituencies in the state. Post the bifurcation in 2014, these are the first elections in the residual state of Andhra Pradesh.

In the 2014 Assembly Elections, TDP emerged victorious with a majority of 102 seats, while YSRCP won 67.

At present, TDP is in power with 99 seats and party Chief N Chandrababu Naidu became the first CM of the state after bifurcation. Chandrababu previously held the post of AP Chief Minister from 1994-2004.

The main opponents for power in Andhra Pradesh are Chandrababu's TDP and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party with the latter currently holding 66 seats in Opposition.

Since November 2017, YS Jagan has been campaigning in the state and undertook a Padayatra - Praja Sankalpa Yatra, where he walked over 3,648 kilometers on foot, across the state.

Another key player in the state election is actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, who has been gaining significant support in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Congress party has chosen to contest independently in the state.

Also Read: Excercise Your Right To Vote: YS Jagan Appeals To AP Citizens