TDP supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu announced a late-night decision on the candidature of five leaders for the Legislative Council election under the MLA quota. The candidates are Nara Lokesh from Chittoor, Batchula Arjunudu from Krishna, Karanam Balaram from Prakasam, Pothula Sunitha from Prakasam and Dokka Manikya Varaprasad from Guntur.

Although there are seven vacant seats under MLA quota, TDP fielded only five candidates. YSRCP picked up only two candidates. Lok Satta and YSRCP extended their support to PDF leaders in Rayalaseema and North Andhra region.

Before heading to file his nomination, Lokesh made a stop to garland a statue of his grandfather Late Nandamuri Taraka RamaRao. At the auspicious moment (muhurtham) 10.39am Lokesh filed his papers at the Assembly complex in the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi

Chandrababu Naidu speaking after the adjournment of assembly session wished his son “All the best”. Lokesh’s father-in-law, Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna was uncertain about the TDP general secretary’s will be induction into the cabinet.

Despite the speculations that Lokesh will be given ministries on par with the Telangana counterpart KTR, a grapevine is that he may not be inducted into the cabinet in first place. The wait is not long, Chandrababu Naidu’s cabinet expansion is all set to happen before the Telugu New Year.