Several prominent MLA candidates from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-BJP-JSP alliance in the three districts – Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju – filed their nomination papers here on Friday amid huge fanfare and show of strength. Bike and car rallies, roadshows, cultural and folk performances marked the nomination filing of the candidates. Some nomination processions resembled victory rallies. Traffic congestions were reported at several places.
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YSRCP North Constituency MLA candidate K.K. Raju going in a rally to file his nomination papers at Seethammadhara in Visakhapatnam on Friday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Among the candidates who filed nomination papers, include Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu (TDP-East), Adari Anand (YSRCP – West), K.K. Raju (YSRCP – North), Konathala Ramakrishna (JSP – Anakapalli), Ch Ayyanna Patrudu (TDP- Narsipatnam), UV Ramanamurthy Raju (Yelamanchili – Anakapalli) and Pangi Raja Babu (BJP- Araku). Both the YSRCP and NDA alliance JSP candidates A Adeep Raj and Panchakarla Ramesh Babu filed their nominations in Pendurthi here on Friday.
Chenda Melam artistes performing during the nomination rally of YSR Congress Party’ candidate from North Assembly constituency K.K. Raju, in Visakhapatnam on Friday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Mr. Ramakrishna Babu took out massive rally from his party office at MVP Colony to the Collector Office. JSP leader & South constituency candidate from the NDA, Vamsikrishna Srinivasa Yadav, also accompanied him. Hundreds of supporters arrived in auto-rickshaws, cars, two-wheelers, jeeps and other vehicles. A large number of women supporters also enthusiastically took part. Jubilant party workers danced to the tunes of ‘TDP songs’ and the beats of ‘Dhol’. Hundreds of people from the fishermen community joined the rally from Pedajalaripeta, Appughar, Vasuvanipalem and Jodugullapalem.
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Artistes performing during the nomination rally of YSR Congress Party’ candidate from North Assembly constituency K.K. Raju, in Visakhapatnam on Friday. | Photo Credit: V RAJU
Mr. K.K. Raju had filed his nomination papers at the MRO office in Seethammadhara, following a massive rally with hundreds of supporters. Artistes performing ‘kolatam’, ‘chenda-melam’ by Kerala drummers, women carrying ‘kalasam’ praying for auspicious beginning, ‘dhol’ and DJ stood as attraction during the rally. Earlier, a large number of supporters of Mr Raju arrived from Madhavadhara on bikes and greeted him at his office, from where the MLA candidate along with Rajya Sabha member and YSRCP North Andhra regional coordinator Y.V. Subba Reddy proceeded to file nomination.
Women carrying ‘Kalasams’ during the nomination rally of YSRCP North Assembly Constituency candidate KK Raju in Seethammadhara in Visakhapatnam on Friday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Adari Anand, the West MLA candidate of YSRCP, also filed nominations in the presence of Mr Subba Reddy and his family members.
Former Minister and JSP MLA candidate from Anakapalli Konathala Ramakrishna took part in a massive rally, from Ring Road to the RO office, before filing his nomination papers. Anakapalli Lok Sabha candidate from the alliance parties C.M. Ramesh, former MLA Peela Govinda Satyanarayana and others accompanied him. Actor and Jabardasth fame Hyper Aadi stood as an attraction during the rally.
Former Minister and Narsipatnam MLA candidate Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu took part in a roadshow along with his supporters and the cadre from his house to RDO office covering Five-Road Junction, Krishna Bazaar, Abid Centre to file nomination. Mr. C.M. Ramesh, former MLAs and MLCs from Anakapalli region accompanied him.
A massive roadshow was organised by the supporters and YSRCP cadre U.V. Ramanamurthy Raju (Kannababu), the YSRCP candidate from Yelamanchili . YSRCP MP candidate from Anakapalli Budi Mutyala Naidu and other leaders accompanied him. In Paderu Assembly constituency, the YSRCP candidate M Visweswara Raju and TDP candidate Venkata Ramesh Naidu filed their nomination papers on Friday. As per the Visakhapatnam district administration, as many as 22 nominations were filed on Friday from five Assembly constituencies – East, West, North, Pendurthi and Bheemunipatnam. While Pendurthi Constituency saw as many as 10 nominations, which is the highest, no nominations were filed in South and Gajuwaka constituencies.