Lokesh To File Nomination For MLC Seat On March 6

Vijayawada: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary Nara Lokesh will file his nomination for an MLC seat under the MLAs' quota on March 6.

Election for seven Legislative Council seats under the MLAs quota will be held on March 20 and the last date for filing of nominations is March 7. The TDP politburo, which met here last week, unanimously proposed Lokesh's name for a Council seat and left the final choice of candidates to Chandrababu.

Lokesh's name has not been formally announced yet for the Council polls, but party sources today indicated that he will file his papers on March 6, the day the Budget session of the Legislature begins in the new capital Amaravati. "He is coming to the Council," TDP politburo member and MLC Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said, but did not elaborate.

Of the seven seats, the TDP can win five, going by its strength in the 176-member Assembly. Besides 102 of its own MLAs, the ruling party has the support of four legislators of its coalition partner BJP. The lone MLA, who won on behalf of Navodayam Party and one independent had since joined the TDP.

While Lokesh's candidature is certain, the TDP is yet to finalise four other nominees. It is expected that two sitting MLCs Kavali Pratibha Bharati and S V Satish Kumar Reddy, who will be retiring on March 29, may get renominated. Satish is also the deputy chairman of the Council and, given the equations in Kadapa district, he may be fielded once again, party sources said.

The YSRCP has announced former MLA Alla Srinivas (Nani) and Gangula Prabhakar Reddy as its candidates under the MLAs quota. Gangula, a leader from Kurnool district, quit the TDP and joined the YSRCP only last month.