Vijayawada: TDP-JSP releases first list

Vijayawada : Ending the suspense, TDP and Jana Sena alliance have jointly released the first list of 118 candidates on Saturday. This is the second time in the history of TDP when a big list of candidates was released in one go. In the past, it was during NTR’s time a mega list was announced.

TDP candidates will be contesting from 94 constituencies while Jana Sena will contest from 24 seats, as per the first list. While Jana Sena and BJP together may contest around 30-35 Assembly seats, the TDP would contest 140 Assembly seats. Both parties decided to announce the list ahead of the first joint public meeting at Tadepalligudem on January 28.

The marathon exercise that leaders of both the parties had taken up had resulted in minimising the dissent in a couple of constituencies where TDP holds good control. Moreover, the rank and file is greatly enthused as they feel that the alliance along with BJP would come to power this time.

Sources said that in another week’s time, the process of seat sharing with BJP will also be completed. It is learnt that the list that was announced on Saturday was done after informing the BJP national leadership as well.

The YSRCP also seems to have come to the conclusion that this time it is going to be a TDP-JSP-BJP alliance unlike 2014 polls. That is why Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at a public meeting said that both the national parties were against YSRCP.

Releasing the list, Naidu said a mega exercise was taken up by collecting the opinion of 1.3 crore people besides the views of the party activists. They had given priority to youth, educated and women candidates.

The list includes Ramanjaneyulu, a retired IAS officer from Prattipadu constituency of Guntur district. Of the remaining candidates, there are post-graduates including two PhDs, 63 graduates, including three doctors, 24 youth and 13 women. The number of first time contestants is 23. The TDP gave priority to BCs in selection of candidates.

Both Naidu and Pawan said that the seat sharing was done with a single-point agenda of defeating YSRCP. Pawan said though there was pressure on him to demand 70 Assembly seats, they had agreed for 24 Assembly and three Lok Sabha seats since BJP also has to be accommodated.

Both Naidu and Pawan said the state suffered serious damage and lost its brand image during the last five years. There is not even a single section which was not affected, they said. Both cautioned people to be careful as YSRCP is trying to get votes with bogus votes.