YSR Congress set to win all four seats from Andhra Pradesh in Rajya Sabha polls today

It would have normally been a unanimous affair but a formal election became inevitable since five candidates - four of the ruling YSR Congress and one of the opposition TDP - remained in fray.

Parimal Nathwani meets Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and thanks him for fielding him in the RS elections, in Tadepalli on Thursday. (Photo| EPS)

VIJAYAWADA: The stage is set for polling  on Friday to elect four members to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh, with the ruling YSR Congress poised to win all four seats given its formidable strength in the Assembly. The biennial election, originally scheduled for March 26, was put off to June 19 due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

It would have normally been a unanimous affair but a formal election became inevitable since five candidates —  four of the ruling YSR Congress and one of the opposition TDP — remained in fray. With a strength of 151 in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly, the YSR Congress is comfortably placed to win all four.

Minimum 36 votes are required for a candidate to win the Rajya Sabha seat from Andhra Pradesh. The TDP, with just 23 MLAs, stands no chance whatsoever. After Friday’s polling, the YSRC strength in the Rajya Sabha will rise to six from two at present.

From the YSR Congress, Deputy Chief Minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose, Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao, realtor A Ayodhya Rami Reddy and Reliance Industries senior group president Parimal Nathwani are in the fray now.

The TDP fielded its politburo member Varla Ramaiah, playing the Scheduled Caste card. Nathwani had been an Independent MP from Jharkhand for the last two consecutive terms and he filed his nomination as the YSRC candidate this time.