TDP candidate files nomination for RS polls in AP

Opposition Telugu Desam Party's Varla Ramaiah on Friday filed his nomination for the biennial election to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh. The TDP stands no chance of winning even one seat as it has only 23 MLAs but it nevertheless chose to field its candidate, playing the Dalit card.

The TDP's entry into the fray, however, makes election inevitable when the ruling YSR Congress hoped it would be a unanimous affair. Four candidates of the YSRC already filed nominations for as many seats, elections for which are scheduled for March 26.

Given its strength of 151 in the 175-member AP Assembly, the YSRC will comfortably bag all the four seats. The TDP, for the record, has 23 MLAs AP Legislative Assembly but three of them rebelled against the party.

Though they did not formally join the YSRC, the three MLAs have been virtually sailing with it. In all four seats in the Upper House of Parliament will fall vacant from Andhra Pradesh on April 9 when the sitting members retire at the end of their six-year term.

Filing of nominations ended on Friday and scrutiny will take place on March 16. The last date for withdrawal is March 18.