2 from TDP, 1 from ally BJP file nominations for RS seats in Andhra Pradesh

Two TDP candidates Beeda Mastan Rao and Sana Satish Babu along with ally BJP's R Krishnayya have filed nominations for the three vacant Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra Pradesh.

They filed their nominations on Tuesday with Rajya Sabha Elections Returning Officer R Vanitha Rani at the Assembly building, an official press statement said.

Their election is expected to be unanimous, subject to the scrutiny as no other candidate is in the fray.

Several representatives from the respective political parties were present during the nomination filing process. Prominent attendees included state ministers Nadendla Manohar, Kollu Ravindra, Anagani Satyaprasad, Satyakumar Yadav, K. Atchannaidu, P. Narayana, and several MLAs.

The TDP-led alliance with BJP and JSP is set to secure all three Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra Pradesh as the alliance has the brute majority of 164 seats in the 175-member state Assembly. The TDP holds 135 Assembly seats, while Janasena and BJP hold 21 and 8 seats, respectively, while the sole opposition party YSRCP has just 11 seats.

The Election Commission announced bypolls for six vacant Rajya Sabha seats with polling slated to take place on December 20. The results will also be declared on the same day.

Three of the six seats are in Andhra Pradesh and one each in Odisha, West Bengal and Haryana.

All six vacancies arose due to the resignation of members. The last date for filing nominations was Tuesday while the last date for withdrawing candidature is December 13.

The vacancies arose due to the resignations of YSRCP members Venkataramana Rao Mopidevi, Beedha Masthan Rao Yadav, Ryaga Krishnaiah (all Andhra Pradesh), BJD's Sujeet Kumar (Odisha), Jawhar Sircar (West Bengal) and BJP's Krishan Lal Panwar (Haryana).

In Odisha, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sujeet Kumar resigned from the Rajya Sabha. Kumar's tenure was up to April 2, 2026.

In Haryana BJP's Krishan Lal Panwar resigned from the Rajya Sabha seat in the state to contest the Haryana Assembly elections from the Israna constituency. Panwar's tenure was up to August 1, 2028.

In West Bengal, TMC's Sircar has resigned from the party as well as from the Rajya Sabha.