Date: March 12, 2025
Costliest MLC Nomination in AP History? BJP’s High-Stakes Move
MLC Nomination Process in Andhra Pradesh
The MLC election nomination process in Andhra Pradesh concluded at 3:30 PM yesterday, with the ruling NDA coalition securing a comfortable victory due to its overwhelming majority in the assembly.
However, one nomination stood out as possibly the costliest in Andhra Pradesh MLC history—that of BJP candidate Somu Veerraju.
Last-Minute Chaos for BJP’s MLC Nomination
For a candidate to file an MLC nomination, they must have the A and B Forms, which include signatures from the national party president, state president, and the candidate.
Yesterday, during the MLC nomination process, the AP BJP office realized at 10:30 AM that the B Form for Somu Veerraju was missing. The form, which required BJP National President J.P. Nadda’s signature, was still at the BJP headquarters in Hyderabad.
Special Flight to Secure Nomination Documents
To address the crisis, the B Form was flown from Hyderabad to Gannavaram in a special flight. However, another challenge arose—the document also required the signature of AP BJP President Daggubati Purandeshwari, who was in Delhi for the parliamentary session.
Upon learning about the situation, Purandeshwari immediately boarded a special flight from Delhi to Gannavaram.
Race Against Time to File the Nomination
With time running out, BJP leadership decided to authorize BJP Secretary Kasi Viswanadha Raju to sign the document on Purandeshwari’s behalf.
By the time the paperwork was ready, the nomination deadline was just 15 minutes away. Fortunately, Somu Veerraju submitted his nomination at 3:15 PM, just before the 3:30 PM deadline.
Purandeshwari’s Late Arrival and Political Discussions
Purandeshwari arrived at the assembly after the submission and later met Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu along with Somu Veerraju.
The Costliest MLC Nomination in AP History?
For Somu Veerraju’s nomination, two special flights were deployed, and multiple party leaders involved in a high-stakes rush to secure the documents. Given the resources spent, this nomination now regarded as one of the most expensive nominations in Andhra Pradesh history.