Andhra Pradesh Rajya Sabha Vacancy: BJP Chooses Long-time Party Worker
The suspense surrounding the Rajya Sabha by-election from Andhra Pradesh has ended with the announcement of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially declared senior leader Paka Venkata Satyanarayana as its nominee for the upcoming by-poll. The announcement comes as the deadline for filing nominations approaches.
The vacancy arose following the resignation of YSRCP Member of Parliament V. Vijayasai Reddy from his Rajya Sabha seat. The seat, under the Andhra Pradesh quota, still has a remaining term of two years. In response, the Election Commission of India recently issued a notification for a by-election. With the nomination deadline set for Tuesday at 3 PM, speculation over the candidate selection had intensified.
In this context, the BJP’s Andhra Pradesh core committee convened to discuss the nomination. Although the party’s state president Daggubati Purandeswari is currently on a tour of Europe, she participated in the meeting via video conference. After deliberating on several potential candidates, the party leaned toward Paka Venkata Satyanarayana, who presently serves as the Chairman of the BJP Andhra Pradesh Disciplinary Committee. The party's national leadership subsequently finalized and announced his name as the official NDA candidate.
Paka Venkata Satyanarayana has been associated with the BJP for over four decades. With a background in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), he has held various key roles within the party. His name was previously considered for the state BJP presidency as well as in the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections.
In recent weeks, speculation had centered on several high-profile figures such as Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai, Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) founder Manda Krishna Madiga, and former Union Minister Smriti Irani. Media reports had suggested that Annamalai could be nominated from Andhra Pradesh to facilitate his induction into the Union Cabinet ahead of the Tamil Nadu elections. However, the BJP leadership set aside these speculations and opted to nominate a long-serving state leader who has been with the party since its early days.
Paka Venkata Satyanarayana’s unexpected nomination from the grassroots ranks has sparked widespread interest within the party. Following the official announcement, several leaders and party workers extended their congratulations. He is scheduled to file his nomination on Tuesday.