Several prominent leaders on Wednesday, third day, filed their nominations for Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in the district. Heavy security was deployed at the Collector’s office where a large number of supporters of the parties gathered beating drums, dancing and playing songs. Candidates of all major political parties filed their nominations on the day, being an auspicious day.
CPI(M) nominees were among the first to arrive along with party Polit Bureau member B.V. Raghavulu. The party’s Ch. Narsinga Rao (Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha) and R.S.K.V. Kumar (Vizag East) filed their papers.
BJP State president and nominee for Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha K. Haribabu filed the papers accompanied by party nominee for North Assembly Vishnu Kumar Raju and party leaders D.V. Subba Rao, Bandaru Rangamohana Rao and P.V.N. Madhav, among others. In spite of the declaration on Tuesday that the two parties would work together, no prominent TDP leader arrived with Mr. Haribabu. A former TDP corporator was present.
TDP’s Anakapalle candidate M. Srinivasa Rao came along with party nominee for Payakaraopeta V. Anita and was later joined by MLAs P. Rameshbabu and K.S.N Raju. Congress’ Anakapalle Lok Sabha nominee Thota Vijayalakshmi, who filed her nomination, said she was a local who worked on issues like collective farming. YSRC’s Anakapalle Lok Sabha nominee Gudivada Amarnath came accompanied by family members to file the papers. 53 file papers
Fifty three candidates filed their nominations for the 15 Assembly segments in the district on Wednesday. Three nominations were filed for Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat and five for Anakapalle Parliamentary constituency. No nomination was filed for Araku Parliamentary constituency so far. Among those who filed nominations were former Minister P. Balaraju of Congress and G. Demudu of CPI (Paderu); former Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, former MLA K. Sitaramu of YSRC, TD rebel Anitha Sakuru (Bheemli); P.V.G.R. Naidu (Ganababu) of TDP (Visakha West); T. Nagi Reddy of YSRC and Palla Srinivas of TDP (Gajuwaka); Konathala Raghunath of YSRC, and D. Dilip Kumar of Congress (Anakapalle); MLA G. Ramanaidu of TDP (Madugula); former Minister B. Satyanarayana Murthy (TDP) and Gandi Babji of the YSRC (Pendurthi); and Ch. Narasinga Rao of the CPI(M) (Gajuwaka and Visakha Lok Sabha).