TDP picks Mastan Rao, Satish to contest Rajya Sabha by-polls in Andhra Pradesh

 The TDP has announced B Mastan Rao and S Satish as its candidates from Andhra Pradesh for Rajya Sabha by-elections scheduled to be held on December 20. TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu said prominent BC leader R Krishnaiah has been nominated as the BJP RS candidate from the southern state.

TDP, BJP and Janasena are ruling NDA alliance in the state. “B Mastan Rao and S Satish have been announced as Rajya Sabha candidates from Andhra Pradesh from TDP as part of the NDA alliance,” said Naidu in a press release issued late on Monday.

The TDP-led alliance is poised to capture three Rajya Sabha seats in the ensuing by-polls, powered by its brute majority of 164 seats in the Assembly. The TDP has 135 MLAs, followed by Janasena 21 and BJP eight.

The N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP is expected to get a foothold in the Rajya Sabha as it currently has no representation in the upper house of Parliament. The counting of votes of the by-elections is also scheduled to take place on December 20.

Further, the TDP chief said Janasena Secretary General K Naga Babu will be inducted into the council of ministers in Andhra Pradesh.