This story is from March 15, 2019

Andhra Pradesh assembly elections: TDP releases names of 126 candidates

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) late on Thursday released a list of 126 candidates for the assembly poll which included the names of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu from Kuppam, IT minister Lokesh from Mangalgiri segment, Paritala Sriram from Raptadu and Nandamuri Balakrishna from Hindupur.
Andhra Pradesh assembly elections: TDP releases names of 126 candidates
AP CM Chandrababu Naidu
AMARAVATI: The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) late on Thursday night released a list of 126 candidates for the assembly elections which included the names of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu from Kuppam, IT minister Lokesh from Mangalgiri segment, Paritala Sriram from Raptadu and Nandamuri Balakrishna from Hindupur. The party, however, did not release the list of its candidates for Lok Sabha polls.

TDP supremo spent the whole day by holding discussions with the party senior leaders and aspirants. He called up some of the dissident leaders over phone and assured them of due recognition after party coming back to power in the elections.
After clearing nearly 117 names for assembly and 18 names for Lok Sabha, Naidu convened the politburo meeting late in the night. The party’s highest decision making body went through the list and stamped its nod. Subsequently, Naidu spoke to the ministers who were not part of the politburo and communicated its decision.
According to initial indications, cabinet ministers Atchannaidu (Tekkali) Ayyanna Patrudu (Narsipatnam), Sujay Krishna Rangarao (Bobbili), Kala Venkata Rao (Etcherla), Kidari Sravan Kumar (Araku), N China Rajappa (Peddapuram), Devineni Umamaheswara Rao (Mailavaram), Prattipati Pullarao (Chilakaluripet), Nakka Anand Babu (Vemur), Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy (Sarvepalli), P Narayana (Nellore urban), Bhuma Akhilapriya (Allagadda), Kalava Srinivasulu (Raidurg) were among the candidates who found place in the first list.
However, the names of HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Forests minister Sidda Raghavarao reported to have been kept in pending as party is contemplating to field them in Lok Sabha elections.
Excise minister, KS Jawahar’s name is expected to be cleared in the next list as party is planning to shift him to Tiruvur in Krishna district from Kovvur in West Godavari district. With women and child welfare minister Paritala Sunita decided to make way for the entry of his son Sriram, party did not clear the seat in the first list. In all, 12 women were expected to get the chance to contest the assembly elections.

Chandrababu Naidu’s ‘sambandhi’ and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna would once again contest from Hindupur in Ananthapur district. There are no surprises in the first list as party retained majority of the sitting legislators from their strongholds without making experiments.
Party supremo decided to depute Prakasam district strongman Karanam Balaram to Chirala constituency after the local legislator Amanchi Krishnamohan switched sides to YSRCP. Former congress leader Kondru Muralimohan who joined TDP recently bagged Rajam seat from the local veteran leader and former assembly speaker Kavali Pratibha Bharati.
Notwithstanding the controversies and cases, government whip Chintamaneni Prabhakar was retained in Dendulur segment of West Godavari district. Assembly speaker Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao was allowed to contest from Sattenapalle constituency despite protests from the local party leaders. With business tycoon Bida Mastan Rao refusing to enter the Lok Sabha fray, party granted him permission to contest from his home town Kavali segment in Nellore district.
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