The ruling YSR Congress has started efforts to continue its winning streak in the three graduate MLC elections that are scheduled for March 2023. As part of this, Chief Minister Jagan Reddy had announced the names of candidates for the MLC polls from the Graduate constituencies.

S Sudhakar, chairman of the Brahman Corporation, would contest the polls from the joint Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts. Syam Prasad Reddy of Gudur will be the Party Graduate MLC candidate from the former Prakasam, Nellore and Chittoor districts. V Ravi will be the candidate for Kurnool, Kadapa and Anantapur districts.

The party used to refrain from contesting the teachers MLC elections in the past. Parties generally announce their candidates at the last minute but the CM has surprised everyone by announcing the YSRC candidates eight months before the polls.

As per tradition, parties usually support independent candidates for the MLC elections from the graduates and teachers constituencies. However, the CM put forward a proposal this time for the YSRCP to field its own candidates.

This, after the party MLAs and MLCs opined that despite winning the graduates and teachers constituency elections, the winners (independents) were turning against the YSRC government in crucial matters in the AP Legislative Council.

The legislators recalled the problems faced by their government from the teachers’ community on various issues and proposed that it contest the Teachers MLC elections. The CM agreed for the same and said the candidates for Teachers constituencies will be decided later.

Graduate voters in the constituencies, each comprising three erstwhile districts, will cast their votes in the elections that are likely in February-March next year.

The party leaders said they would give enough time for the party candidates for campaign by way of interacting with the graduate voters in their respective constituencies.