Lok Sabha Polls 2014: JSP nominees quit race ahead of Assembly, LS polls tomorrow

HYDERABAD: Candidates of Jai Samaikyaandhra Party are withdrawing from the poll race ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Seemandhra tomorrow, a move which is likely to go in favour of the TDP.

Expelled Congress MP and JSP candidate from Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat Sabbam Hari announced this afternoon that he was retiring from the polls to prevent split in votes.

"If YSRC comes to power, it will only spread mayhem in new Andhra Pradesh," Sabbam said.

He lashed out at the Jaganmohan Reddy-led party saying such "divisive" forces would cause more harm to the state than the bifurcation.

Sabbam's withdrawal is expected to boost the prospects of BJP's Kambhampati Haribabu, pitted against YSRC honorary president Y S Vijayamma from Visakhapatnam.

Yesterday, candidates of former Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy-led JSP contesting the seven Assembly seats under Narsaraopet parliamentary constituency withdrew from the race and joined the TDP, giving a major boost to its candidate Rayapati Sambasiva Rao.

Some more candidates of JSP contesting the Assembly seats from Visakhapatnam and other coastal districts are said to be ready to retire from the fight hours ahead of the poll.

The unexpected move by the JSP is likely to boost the poll prospects of the Telugu Desam Party, which is the main contender for power in Seemandhra along with YSR Congress.

TDP is in alliance with the BJP for the elections in Andhra Pradesh.

More than 3.67 crore voters are set to cast votes in elections to 175 assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies to be held on May 7 in Seemandhra.