Amaravati
A by-election for two MLA-quota seats on the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council is set for July 12, as announced by the Election Commission on Tuesday. The seats became vacant due to Shaik Mohammed Iqbal’s resignation and the disqualification of C. Ramchandraiah. Ramchandraiah, elected under the MLAs quota for the YSR Congress Party in 2021, was declared ineligible in March for joining the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). In April, Iqbal also left the YSRCP and joined the TDP.
On June 25, the Election Commission will issue a notice for the by-election. Nominations can be submitted until July 2, with scrutiny scheduled for July 3. Candidates can withdraw until July 5. Voting will take place on July 12, and results will be announced the same day.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which holds a majority in the 175-member Assembly, is expected to secure both seats. The recent Assembly elections saw the NDA win 164 seats, with the TDP securing 135 seats, and the BJP and its ally Jana Sena Party (JSP) winning 21 and 8 seats respectively.
Earlier in March 2024, Legislative Council Chairman Koye Moshenu Raju disqualified YSRCP dissident MLCs Vamsi Krishna Yadav and C. Ramachandraiah for defecting to the TDP and JSP. Vamsi was elected under the local bodies quota, while Ramachandraiah was elected under the MLAs quota. The by-election to fill Vamsi’s vacated seat is expected to be announced at a later date.
