Andhra MLC election: YSRCP picks Pothula Sunitha as candidate

The ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh on Monday chose Pothula Sunitha as its candidate to contest the forthcoming Legislative Council election. "Sunitha is the YSRCP candidate for the recently issued notification for the MLC election," said a statement on Monday. Sunitha met YSRCP party chief and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy recently at his residence, where she received the Form B from him.

She thanked Jagan for choosing her as the ruling party candidate, in the presence of Balineni Srinivas Reddy, Member of Parliament, and party leaders Vemireddy Prabakar Reddy and Pothula Suresh. The bye-election for the casual vacancy in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, caused by the resignation of Sunitha, has been scheduled on January 28.

Sunitha had resigned on November 1, 2020 though her term in office was up to March 3, 2023. She was a Telugu Desam Party MLC, who resigned in protest over her party's alleged activities harming development in the southern state. She openly endorsed the Jagan Mohan Reddy government, following which the TDP registered a complaint with the Chairman of the Legislative Council seeking her disqualification. Later, she extended support to the ruling YSRCP.

Sunitha had unsuccessfully contested as an MLA from Chirala in 2014.

Earlier this week, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said that polling has been scheduled for January 28 and the result will be declared on the same day after 5 pm. The ECI announced that the notification will be issued on January 11 and the last day for the nomination of candidates is January 18. 

Meanwhile, a controversy is brewing in the state, with the government moving the Andhra Pradesh High Court, a day after State Election Commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar declared the schedule for conducting the rural local body elections.

The state government has argued that the rural local body elections were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and could resume only after the vaccination programme is implemented.

"Once this pandemic is tackled with vaccination, the state would agree to any schedule of the local election process. In view of the well being of the people of Andhra Pradesh, the SEC may consider the request of the state government," Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das earlier said.