VISAKHAPATNAM: Political fever gripped the city as candidates of three major parties TDP, BJP and YSRC filed their nomination papers for the north Andhra graduates constituency elections on Wednesday. The parties took out rallies with candidates before filing of nominations as a show of their strength. Top leaders of the parties participated in the rallies.
Sitting BJP MLC PVN Madhav came in a big procession from the party district office at Lawson’s Bay Colony to the Collectorate. He was accompanied by BJP State president Somu Veeraju, vice-president P Vishnukumar Raju, MP GVL Narasimha Rao and others.
YSRC nominee Sitamraju Sudhakar, accompanied by party leaders YV Subba Reddy, Gudivada Amarnath, Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao and Mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari, went in a procession to the Collectorate from Sampat Vinayaka temple at Asilmetta.After filing the nomination, the YSRC leaders said intellectuals should vote for the development being done by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
TDP candidate Vepada Chiranjeevi reached the Collectorate from the party office in a procession. TDP State president K Atchannaidu, former minister Kondru Murali, Visakhapatnam district president Palla Srinivasa Rao accompanied him. Speaking on the occasion, Atchannaidu said they had chosen Chiranjeevi, who is known to many in north Andhra districts, as their candidate. He alleged that the ruling party was misusing the official machinery and a large number of bogus votes were registered.
Meanwhile, as many as 12 candidates filed their nominations for the MLC election. They submitted their papers to District Collector and Returning Officer A Mallikharjuna.They included Puripanda Srinivasa Rao, Gundupalli Satish, Dandela Ananda Rao, Kalla Lokanadham, Erle Sriramamurthy, Adari Sarat Chandra, Balivada Rama Santosh, Rajana Mohana Rao and G Vijayakumar who filed papers as independents. The total number of nominations filed for the MLC election went up to 18. Thursday is the last date for filing of nominations.