It is reported that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has selected a BC candidate to contest in the MLC elections from the Assembly constituency.
The election to fill seven MLC seats that will be vacant on March 29 is currently ongoing.
The ruling YSR Congress, with a strength of 151 MLAs in the House of 175, has named its candidates for all seven seats and their candidates have filed their nomination papers on Thursday.
The TDP, with 23 MLAs on its side, is considering having its candidate in the race. Even though four of its MLAs are with the YSR Congress, the TDP wants to force a contest by fielding an eighth candidate.
Sources say that Chandrababu Naidu has recommended the name of party spokesperson Panchumarthi Anuradha as their MLC candidate. Anuradha, a BC woman, had previously served as the Mayor of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation for five years.
What is interesting is that the TDP would require 25 votes to ensure their candidate wins the election.
With only 23 on record and only 19 MLAs on count, the TDP is sure to lose the election. It is for this reason that the party chief had named a BC woman candidate.
In the past, Naidu had named an SC candidate, Varla Ramaiah, to contest the Rajya Sabha seat, knowing fully well that the party would lose the battle.
It is understood that Naidu names the SC or BC candidates for the losing seats and gives the winning seats only to the OCs.