Vijayawada: The Jana Sena Party (JSP) has decided to field industrialist Lingamaneni Ramesh as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Andhra Pradesh. The decision follows the NDA partners' agreement to allocate one of the four vacant Rajya Sabha seats to Jana Sena, while the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will contest the remaining three.
Ramesh's Long Association with Pawan Kalyan
Ramesh, a prominent businessman from Vijayawada, has long been associated with Jana Sena president and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. His name had been under consideration for several months, and eventually emerged as the party's official nominee on Friday when Pawan Kalyan cleared his name. Party spokesperson and MLC Hariprasad said Ramesh has been associated with the JSP chief since 2015. He noted that Ramesh remained loyal to the party even after its electoral debacle in 2019. "Party chief Pawan Kalyan took a bold decision to nominate Ramesh to Rajya Sabha despite pressures and challenges from different sections and leaders, as he wanted to recognize the services of trusted leaders," said Hariprasad.
Nomination and Election Schedule
Ramesh will file his nomination papers on Saturday, June 8, which is the last day for filing nominations. The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled for June 18. With the NDA enjoying a comfortable majority in the legislative assembly, all four alliance nominees are expected to secure victory without a contest.
Political Significance
The nomination of Ramesh is being viewed as a significant political move, which might also influence TDP's candidate selection. Responding to Pawan Kalyan's decision, Ramesh expressed his gratitude and acceptance of the responsibility. "I will treat the Rajya Sabha membership not as a post. It is a responsibility. I will remain loyal to Jana Sena and Pawan Kalyan. I will raise the issues related to the people of Andhra Pradesh in Parliament," he said.
Hariprasad further stated that Ramesh was drawn to Pawan Kalyan's ideology and principles of putting the interests of the nation and state ahead of personal interests. The decision underscores the party's strategy to reward loyalists and strengthen its organizational base.
