Published Feb 10, 2026 | 12:14 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 10, 2026 | 12:31 PM
Chandrababu Naidu with Pawan Kalyan. (X)
Synopsis: Of the four seats falling vacant in June, the TDP is likely to keep three for itself, and offer one to Jana Sena.
A mix of young and old faces are likely to be nominated as Andhra Pradesh prepares for election to four seats falling vacant in the Rajya Sabha from the state.
Though the vacancies will technically arise only in June, the notification is expected to be issued during the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.
Going by the current numbers in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in which NDA has all the seats except 11, the four seats falling vacant will go to the ruling alliance, though three of the vacancies are from the Opposition YSR Congress Party.
The vacancies are on account of the retirement of four current members: Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Pilli Subash Chandra Bose, industrialist Parimal Nathwani (all YSRCP) and Sana Satish Babu who got a truncated term when he was nominated towards the end of 2024, months after the TDP-led NDA came to power.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the principal partner in the alliance which also has BJP and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena, is expected to keep three seats for itself while sparing one for either BJP or Jana Sena, most likely the latter.
From its quota, the TDP is likely to renominate Sana Satish as the leadership is of the view that he has been “quite useful” to the party ever since he was sent to the Upper House.
Kilaru Rajesh, a close aide of both Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, is the other candidate whose nomination is being seriously considered by father-son duo.
For the third seat, former Lok Sabha MP and industrialist Jayadev Galla has thrown his hat in the ring. He did not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Guntur owing to alleged harassment he had faced during the YSRCP regime when he was an MP from 2019 to 2024.
Also in the race is former Speaker of undivided Andhra Pradesh Assembly and former minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu. Quite senior in the TDP hierarchy and a contemporary of Naidu, a section of the party is of the view that having such experienced leaders in the Rajya Sabha will be useful.
The BJP has already sent two of its members to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh and is unlikely to be favoured this time. If the seat goes to Jana Sena, the most likely candidate will be businessman Lingamaneni Ramesh. He is considered close to both Pawan Kalyan and Naidu and often acts as the bridge between TDP and Jana Sena.
