"Huge Demand" for Congress Tickets in Andhra Pradesh

Vijayawada: The Congress has extended the last date for candidacy applications to Feb 29 due to the “heavy demand” for the party’s assembly and parliament segment tickets. The AICC meanwhile appointed a 21-member election committee for the state party.

The last date for applications was Feb 10 but the APCC extended the last date for another 20 days. For the 175 assembly and 25 LS segments, the party received 810 applications for assembly tickets and 110 for MP tickets till Feb 10.

Congress leaders said the rank and file of the Congress is enthused by the party’s win in the Karnataka and Telangana assembly polls and hope this would be repeated in AP in the coming polls.

“The appointment of YS Sharmila as the APCC president is rejuvenating the party and hence many leaders are coming forward to contest the elections on behalf of the Congress,” these leaders claimed.

They said Sharmila is concentrating on strengthening the party from the grassroots levels and bringing back many old-time leaders into the Congress.

Meanwhile, AICC appointed the state election committee with 20 members and Sharmila Reddy as its chairperson. These members are Dr N Raghuveera Reddy, T Subbarami Reddy, MM Pallam Raju, K Raju, Dr KVP Ramachandra Rao, G Rudra Raju, Dr S Sailajanath, Chinta Mohan, JD Seelam, K Bapi Raju, N Tulasi Reddy, Shaik Mastan Vali, Padmasree Sunkara, Janga Gowtham, Rakesh Reddy, Sirivella Prasad, Usha Naidu, Surya Naik and Srinivasa Reddy.

Heads of all frontal organisations of the Congress are ex-officio members.