Congress' SOS for Kadapa by-poll

DESARAJU SURYA

Hyderabad: This is an SOS from the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh: “Need a candidate immediately to take on rebel leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in Kadapa.”

As it heads for the all-important by-elections to Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies on May 8, the Congress finds itself in a terrible situation where it is unable to find an appropriate candidate to take on Jagan.

The by-election was caused following Jagan’s resignation from Lok Sabha as well as the Congress on November 29 last. Jagan, son of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, will fight for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat while his mother Vijayalakshmi will vie for the Pulivendula seat, which she vacated along with his son.

Initially, it was expected that the Congress would pit state Agriculture Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy against his sister-in-law in Pulivendula, a family stronghold. Viveka, younger brother of late YSR, retired as a member of state Legislative Council on March 29 and should get elected to the state Legislature within six months to continue as a minister. Since biennial elections to the Legislative Council have concluded, the only option for the Congress is to field him from Pulivendula.

Though Viveka offered to step down as minister, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy refused to accept his resignation since there is a constitutional provision that enables him to continue in the post for six more months.

Initially, the name of Viveka’s son-in-law Narreddy Rajasekhara Reddy was put in circulation for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat but the move was strongly opposed within the Congress as Narreddy could be no match to Jagan.

The party then toyed with the idea of fielding senior leader Varadarajulu Reddy against Jagan but the former MLA from Prodduturu refused to jump into the ring.

Incidentally, Varadarajulu Reddy tasted defeat at the hands of Jagan loyalist D Narayana Reddy in the elections to the Legislative Council from the Kadapa LAC last week.

Though the name of former MP and present chairman of 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee N Thulasi Reddy too cropped up, the Congress ignored him as he was considered “too weak” against Jagan.

Desperate attempts were being made by Congress leaders to prevail upon TDP leader Kandula Rajamohan Reddy to contest the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. Rajamohan Reddy gave Y S Rajasekhara Reddy a run for his money in the 1996 Lok Sabha election in Kadapa even as the latter barely managed to win by a margin of about 5400 votes.

The Congress now sees Rajamohan Reddy as the only possible option to effectively challenge Jagan and hence is said to be leaving no stone unturned to convince him. Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Mohammad Jani, using his old friendship with Rajamohan’s brother Sivananda Reddy, already held one round of talks with the brothers on the issue.

In case Rajamohan too refuses to oblige the Congress, the choice may ultimately fall on none other than Jagan’s uncle Vivekananda Reddy himself. Viveka had earlier been elected to Lok Sabha from Kadapa in 2004.

Viveka personally wields more clout than Jagan or even YSR in Kadapa as well as Pulivendula and thus the Congress sees him as the best bet.

The name of Rajya Sabha member M V Mysura Reddy is being heard as the Telugu Desam Party’s candidate for the Kadapa seat.

In the event of Viveka contesting the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, the Congress may not field a candidate against Vijayalakshmi in Pulivendula, informed sources say.