Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) senior leaders T Devender Goud and CM Ramesh Monday filed their nominations for biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.
Given the TDP's strength in the Andhra Pradesh assembly, both the candidates are likely to be elected unopposed.
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu picked Goud after marathon consultations with politburo members and despite opposition from a section of party leaders.
Goud, a backward class leader, had quit TDP over the Telangana issue in 2008 and floated a separate outfit. He merged his Nava Telangana Party with Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) before the 2009 elections. After the defeat in the elections, Goud returned to the TDP fold.
Naidu had already selected his aide and businessman CM Ramesh as the other candidate.
Elections to six seats of the Rajya Sabha from the state are to be held March 30.
The Congress party Sunday night announced its four candidates - K Chiranjeevi, Renuka Chowdary, P Goverdhan Reddy and R Anand Bhaskar - will file their nominations Monday, the last day for doing so.
The vacancies arose due to the retirement of K Keshava Rao, Rashid Alvi, Dasari Narayana Rao, G Sanjeeva Reddy (all of Congress party), MV Mysoora Reddy (TDP) and Azeez Pasha (CPI).
IANS
First Published: Monday, March 19, 2012, 12:50