Published Apr 02, 2024 | 4:10 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 02, 2024 | 4:10 PM
Andhra Pradesh Congress chief YS Sharmila. (X)
Congress on Tuesday declared a list of 17 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, including five seats in Andhra Pradesh.
The party’s Andhra Pradesh chief YS Sharmila will contest from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency. Sharmila is taking on her cousin and sitting MP YS Avinash Reddy of YSRCP.
Sharmila is the daughter of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) and sister of incumbent Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The choice of seat is significant given that Sharmila has extended support to Sunitha Reddy, daughter of slain Vivekananda Reddy.
Avinash Reddy is an accused in the alleged murder of YS Vivekananda Reddy, his uncle and brother of YSR.
Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has doubled down on his support to Avinash Reddy even as Sunitha has gone public with allegations against him.
YS Sharmila’s candidature for the Kadapa seat makes it a high profile contest with Jagan Mohan Reddy, her brother, expected to put up a formidable fight.
Congress has also released the names of 114 candidates for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections. The Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in the state on 19 May.
#Breaking: The @INCIndia has released the list of 5 parliamentary and 114 assembly contestants.@INC_Andhra chief @realyssharmila will contest from Kadapa, setting up a battle against her cousin, sitting MP Avinash Reddy from @YSRCParty.
Reddy has been allegedly accused of the… pic.twitter.com/WOGptNU4NQ— South First (@TheSouthfirst) April 2, 2024
The party also fielded former Union minister MM Pallam Raju from Kakinada.
Gidugu Rudra Raju is the party’s candidate in Rajahmundry, JD Seelam in Baptala (SC) and PG Rampullaiah Yadav in Kurnool.
Apart from the five seats in Andhra Pradesh, the party announced candidates for eight seats in Odisha, three in Bihar and one in West Bengal.
The party has fielded Mohammad Jawed and Tariq Anwar from Bihar’s Kishanganj and Katihar respectively and MLA Ajeet Sharma from Bhagalpur.
With this, the total number of candidates declared by the party so far is 228.
However, the suspense over the high-profile seats of Amethi and Raebareli continues.
(With PTI inputs)
