TDP announces three candidates for AP Council polls

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) today announced the names of three candidates for the MLC polls in Andhra Pradesh amid murmurs of discontent in the party.
Former Assembly Speaker Y Ramakrishnudu, ex-Minister P Samanthakamani and Mohd Saleem are the three candidates announced by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu.
The choice has been made keeping in view factors like loyalty to the party, social justice, regional considerations and representation for women, Naidu told reporters.
He spoke in West Godavari district, where his state- wide 'padayatra' is currently going on.
Ramakrishnudu, a senior member of TDP Politburo, belongs to a backward community from coastal Andhra, while Samanthakamani is a Dalit leader from Rayalaseema. Saleem is a prominent minority leader from Hyderabad (Telangana region).

Observing that a number of other leaders and communities have been working hard for TDP's growth, Naidu said he would try to accommodate all of them at an appropriate time in future.

The main Opposition party, with its actual strength of 77 in the 294-member Assembly, can win three seats. The biennial election for the 10 seats in the Legislative Council, to be elected by the MLAs, will be held on March 21.
Meanwhile, senior TDP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Council Dadi Veerabhadra Rao expressed dissatisfaction over not being re-nominated to the Upper House.
Rao alleged that he was not treated with due respect by the party while making the selection of candidates for the Council polls.

"I would have made an honourable exit from this, had I been told 4-5 days ago. Don't we get the minimum respect in TDP? I said I don't agree with your (Naidu) opinion and decision," Rao told reporters in Hyderabad.