Five central ministers defeated in Seemandhra

Hyderabad, May 16 (IANS) Five central ministers, including two of cabinet rank, lost the Lok Sabha elections in Seemandhra.

With the Congress party suffering complete annihilation in Seemandhra due to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, no central or state minister could retain his seat. The party drew a blank in both assembly and Lok Sabha election.

Union tribal welfare minister Kishore Chandra Deo finished a poor third in Araku. The five-time MP polled just over 21,000 votes. YSR Congress Party's K. Geetha won the seat by securing over 236,000 votes. Her nearest rival was TDP's G. Sandhya Rani, who got 221,000 votes.

Union home resources development minister M.M. Pallam Raju met a similar fate in Kakinada.

Six union ministers of state suffered crushing defeat. They are Pannabaka Lakshmi (Bapatla), K. Krupa Rani (Srikakulam) and K. Suryaprakash Reddy (Kurnool).