333 candidates for Lok Sabha polls in Seemandhra

A total of 333 candidates remained in the fray for 25 Lok Sabha seats and 2,243 for 175 assembly seats in Seemandhra after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended Wednesday.

Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituencies have the highest number of candidates - 22 each. Chittoor has only seven candidates.

State chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal told reporters Wednesday that Kurnool assembly constituency has the highest number of contestants at 36. Seven assembly constituencies have only six candidates each.

Polling in Seemandhra or the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh is scheduled to be held May 7.

As many as 53 aspirants withdrew from the contest for Lok Sabha polls while 60 nominations were rejected.

For the assembly elections, 3,322 candidates filed their nominations. While 572 withdrew their nominations, papers of 507 candidates were rejected.

Telangana, which has 119 assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats, is going to the polls April 30.

Bhanwarlal said the hours of polling in 11 Maoist-affected assembly constituencies will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. while for the rest of the constituencies, the polling will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A total of 265 candidates are in the fray for the Lok Sabha and 1,669 for the assembly polls in Telangana.