With the by-election process for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Andhra Pradesh now underway, speculation is mounting over who will receive the ticket from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has staked its claim to the seat as part of its alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP).
The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of former YSR Congress MP V. Vijay Sai Reddy. Although Reddy was reportedly keen on returning to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket, the party’s national leadership appears to have other plans.
Several names have been discussed within BJP circles, including former Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and former MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao. However, the latest buzz suggests the party may nominate an outsider.
According to sources, the BJP is considering fielding former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai for the Rajya Sabha seat from Andhra Pradesh, with an eye on the Tamil Nadu assembly elections scheduled for next year.
The BJP is treating the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections as a matter of prestige and has already confirmed an alliance with the AIADMK.
Coinciding with the alliance announcement, Annamalai was relieved of his duties as the state president of the Tamil Nadu BJP.
During the announcement, senior BJP leader Amit Shah said that the party intends to utilize Annamalai’s services at the national level.
Reliable sources indicate that the BJP leadership has already decided to nominate him to the Rajya Sabha.
As part of this strategy, the leadership has proposed sending Annamalai to the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh, replacing Sai Reddy.
Notably, the BJP has previously fielded leaders like Suresh Prabhu from Andhra Pradesh, who later served as a Union Minister.
In earlier elections, TDP leader Nara Lokesh had even campaigned in support of Annamalai.
Following the BJP's request, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan have reportedly agreed to allocate the Rajya Sabha seat to Annamalai.
BJP leaders believe that nominating Annamalai could benefit the party’s prospects in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Unless there is an unexpected last-minute change, Annamalai’s entry into the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh appears almost certain.
