Jana Sena announces first list of candidates

Actor Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena, which is making its debut in electoral politics of Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday announced its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The party declared candidates for two Lok Sabha and 32 Assembly constituencies. It had earlier announced candidates for two Lok Sabha seats.

The suspense continues over the constituency Pawan Kalyan will choose to contest as his name did not figure in the first list.

Young and successful start-up entrepreneur Gedela Srinubabu will contest for the Lok Sabha from Visakhapatnam. Jana Sena's state convenor Chintala Pardhasaradhi is the candidate from Anakapalle Lok Sabha constituency.

The party had earlier announced former ONGC executive director D.M.R Sekhar and former BJP MLA Akula Satyanarayana as its candidates for the Amalapuram and Rajahmundry parliamentary seats, respectively.

Former minister Ravela Kishore Babu, who quit the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to join Jana Sena a few months ago, will contest for the Assembly from Prathipadu constituency in Guntur district.

Former Congress leader P. Balaraju was named as Jana Sena's candidate from Paderu.

Former Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar, now a key leader of Jana Sena, will contest from Tenali. The former Congress leader had represented this constituency for two terms from 2004 to 2014.

The party's General Secretary Thota Chandrashekhar will contest from Guntur West.

Pawan Kalyan has already announced that Jana Sena will have an alliance with the Left parties. However, a formal announcement on seat sharing is yet to be made.

Elections to the 175-member Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled on April 11.

--IANS

ms/ksk