Hyderabad, April 08: The ruling Congress” desperate hunt for a candidate to take on rebel leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the by-election for Kadapa Lok Sabha seat has come back to square one tonight with the candidate it chose to field refused to jump into the fray.
The Congress had decided to field Kandula Rajamohan Reddy against YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in Kadapa after he formally joined the party this afternoon along with his brother Kandula Sivananda Reddy.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and AP Congress Committee president D Srinivas chose Rajamohan as the party nominee from Kadapa and even forwarded his name to the high command for approval.
But tonight, neither Rajmohan nor his brother Sivananda Reddy showed any inclination to fight the election despite persuasion by Health Minister D L Ravindra Reddy and senior MLA Veera Siva Reddy.
“It is not appropriate for us to jump into the fray straightaway after joining the party only today,” the Kandula brothers reportedly told the Minister and the MLA.
The Congress initially wanted to announce Rajamohan”s candidature today but has now put off the decision.
Initial reports had suggested that Rajamohan refused to contest against Jagan unless his brother Sivananda was made a member of AP Legislative Council.
This put the Congress in a fix as there is opposition from within the party against conceding Rajamohan”s demand.
“How can a person, who switched sides from the Telugu Desam Party, be straightaway made an MLC,” questioned a senior Congress MLA from Kadapa district.
However, the Chief Minister is said to be firm on fielding Rajamohan saying he alone could give a tough fight to Jagan in the current situation.
But sensing the trouble that could be created by Congress cadres, the Kandula brothers reportedly backed out and told the party leaders that they would not contest the by-election.
Now, the choice may fall on the Health Minister D L Ravindra Reddy, though he too is unwilling to take on Jagan.
Congress sources say the deadlock is expected to be broken by tomorrow.
——–PTI