New Delhi: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has secured all four Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra Pradesh, with candidates from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) being elected unopposed.
The returning officer on Thursday declared three TDP nominees — Sana Sathish Babu, Bhashyam Ramakrishna and Vijay Chintakayala — along with JSP candidate Lingamaneni Ramesh elected to the Upper House after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations expired.
With only four candidates remaining in the fray for four vacancies and no opposition nominations filed, the scheduled election on June 18 became unnecessary.
The vacancies arose following the retirement of Rajya Sabha members Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Parimal Nathwani and Pilli Subhas Chandra Bose of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), along with TDP member Sana Sathish Babu.
Sathish Babu, a close associate of TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh, has secured a second term in the Rajya Sabha. He was earlier elected in a 2024 bypoll following the resignation of a YSRCP member.
Among the first-time MPs, Ramakrishna is a noted entrepreneur and founder of the Bhashyam educational institutions. Chintakayala Vijay, son of Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu, is regarded as a rising TDP leader from north coastal Andhra.
The election of Lingamaneni Ramesh marks a milestone for the Jana Sena Party, led by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, as it secures its first-ever representation in the Rajya Sabha. Ramesh has been associated with the party since its early years.
The NDA’s clean sweep was powered by its overwhelming strength in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly. The TDP holds 135 seats, while its allies Jana Sena and BJP have 21 and eight legislators respectively. In contrast, the YSR Congress Party is left with just 11 members, giving the ruling alliance a decisive advantage in Rajya Sabha elections.
