Jana Sena confirms Bala Shoury for Machilipatnam LS segment

Speculations were put to rest as Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief Pawan Kalyan announced Vallabhaneni Bala Shoury, the sitting Member of Parliament (MP), as the candidate for the Machilipatnam Lok Sabha segment. Bala Shoury, part of the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance, will contest in the upcoming general elections.
While there were widespread speculations about a potential change in the candidate for the Machilipatnam Lok Sabha segment, Pawan Kalyan decided to field Bala Shoury. However, suspense still looms over the selection of the MLA candidate for the Avanigadda constituency.
Bala Shoury, the incumbent MP for Machilipatnam, secured victory in the 2019 elections as a YSRCP candidate. Following shifts in the political landscape of the state, he resigned from the YSRCP on January 14 and subsequently joined the JSP on February 4. His candidacy for the Machilipatnam MP seat has been under scrutiny since the party’s inception. Meanwhile, several names surfaced for the Avanigadda assembly constituency.
On Saturday, the JSP leader finalized Vallabhaneni Bala Shoury’s nomination for the Machilipatnam Lok Sabha seat. However, the party leadership is currently conducting an IVRS survey to determine a suitable candidate for the Avanigadda assembly constituency.
The allocation of this segment to Jana Sena is facing opposition from the TDP, with many of its leaders and cadres leaving due to the non-allocation of a seat to former Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad.
Amidst these developments, the JSP leadership is grappling with the decision of fielding a candidate for the Avanigadda segment or allowing the TDP to contest. Recognising the influential role of the Kapu community in the Avanigadda constituency, the party leadership believes that nominating a prominent leader for this segment could greatly benefit the party.
In this regard, the party is considering the candidature of Vangaveeti Radhakrishna, the former legislator from Vijayawada East and son of former MLA Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao. Efforts are underway to persuade Radhakrishna to join the JSP from the TDP, although no confirmation has been received yet, according to sources.
The finalization of the JSP candidate for the Avanigadda assembly constituency will occur following the completion of the IVRS survey, sources added.