<p>Five candidates of the ruling YSR Congress on Thursday filed their nominations for the biennial election to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council.</p>.<p>The sixth candidate filed his papers for the by-election to the Council.</p>.<p>Accompanied by ministers Botsa Satyanarayana, Buggana Rajendranath and Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, the six candidates completed the formality on the last day of the nomination process.</p>.<p>Earlier, YSRC president and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy handed the candidates the party's requisite authorisation in Form-B.</p>.<p>The YSRC re-nominated sitting MLC Shaik Mohammed Iqbal of Kurnool district, besides bringing back political heavyweight C Ramachandraiah of Kadapa to the Council.</p>.<p>It also nominated Balli Kalyan Chakravarthy, son of deceased Tirupati MP Durga Prasada Rao, and leaders Mohammed Karimunneesa from Vijayawada and Duvvada Srinivas from Srikakulam for three other seats.<br /><br /><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/chandrababu-naidu-detained-at-tirupati-airport-stages-sit-in-protest-956677.html" target="_blank">Chandrababu Naidu detained at Tirupati airport, stages sit-in protest</a></strong></p>.<p>Five Council seats will fall vacant on March 29, at the end of the six-year term of the sitting members, three of whom belong to the main opposition Telugu Desam Party.</p>.<p>The YSRC fielded Challa Bhageerath Reddy (Kurnool) for the by-election to the Council, to fill the vacancy caused due to the death of his father Ramakrishna Reddy, who succumbed to coronavirus in January.</p>.<p>He will fill the slot till March 29, 2023.</p>.<p>Election of these six candidates is now a mere formality as no other nominations have been filed.</p>.<p>It will be a gain of three seats for the YSRC, whose overall strength in the 58-member House will increase to 14, including two nominated members.</p>.<p>Iqbal, a retired IPS officer, was first elected to the Council on August 19, 2019.</p>.<p>Since he had a short tenure in the first term, Iqbal got re-nominated for a fuller term of six years.</p>.<p>Ramachandraiah's re-entry will be a major boost for the YSRC in the Council, given his vast legislative experience and political acumen.</p>.<p>He had earlier served as Leader of Opposition in the Council on behalf of the Congress party.</p>.<p>He had served in the TDP and the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party of actor Chiranjeevi, and later the Congress before joining the YSRC.</p>
<p>Five candidates of the ruling YSR Congress on Thursday filed their nominations for the biennial election to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council.</p>.<p>The sixth candidate filed his papers for the by-election to the Council.</p>.<p>Accompanied by ministers Botsa Satyanarayana, Buggana Rajendranath and Government Advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, the six candidates completed the formality on the last day of the nomination process.</p>.<p>Earlier, YSRC president and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy handed the candidates the party's requisite authorisation in Form-B.</p>.<p>The YSRC re-nominated sitting MLC Shaik Mohammed Iqbal of Kurnool district, besides bringing back political heavyweight C Ramachandraiah of Kadapa to the Council.</p>.<p>It also nominated Balli Kalyan Chakravarthy, son of deceased Tirupati MP Durga Prasada Rao, and leaders Mohammed Karimunneesa from Vijayawada and Duvvada Srinivas from Srikakulam for three other seats.<br /><br /><strong>Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/chandrababu-naidu-detained-at-tirupati-airport-stages-sit-in-protest-956677.html" target="_blank">Chandrababu Naidu detained at Tirupati airport, stages sit-in protest</a></strong></p>.<p>Five Council seats will fall vacant on March 29, at the end of the six-year term of the sitting members, three of whom belong to the main opposition Telugu Desam Party.</p>.<p>The YSRC fielded Challa Bhageerath Reddy (Kurnool) for the by-election to the Council, to fill the vacancy caused due to the death of his father Ramakrishna Reddy, who succumbed to coronavirus in January.</p>.<p>He will fill the slot till March 29, 2023.</p>.<p>Election of these six candidates is now a mere formality as no other nominations have been filed.</p>.<p>It will be a gain of three seats for the YSRC, whose overall strength in the 58-member House will increase to 14, including two nominated members.</p>.<p>Iqbal, a retired IPS officer, was first elected to the Council on August 19, 2019.</p>.<p>Since he had a short tenure in the first term, Iqbal got re-nominated for a fuller term of six years.</p>.<p>Ramachandraiah's re-entry will be a major boost for the YSRC in the Council, given his vast legislative experience and political acumen.</p>.<p>He had earlier served as Leader of Opposition in the Council on behalf of the Congress party.</p>.<p>He had served in the TDP and the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party of actor Chiranjeevi, and later the Congress before joining the YSRC.</p>