Hyderabad, April 07: Rajya Sabha member and senior TD leader MV Mysoora Reddy will take on YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Kadapa Lok Sabha byelection, while Mareddy Ravindranath Reddy will be pitched against YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s widow Vijayamma in Pulivendula.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N Chandrababu Naidu cleared the names of Mysoora Reddy and Ravindranath Reddy today.
Announcing their names at a media briefing here today, Naidu said the fight in Kadapa byelections would be between honesty-corruption and vandalism-peace.
Dismissing the feeling that sympathy factor would work in favour of YSR Congress party candidates, Naidu recalled that TDP secured highest percentage of votes in the GHMC elections immediately after the demise of Rajasekhara Reddy.
He said that TDP alone had been opposing the vandalism and rowdyism of YSR family in Kadapa district.
On the reports that Kandula Sivananda Reddy would quit TDP and contest on Congress ticket in the byelections, Naidu said one or two leaders may switch loyalties but the entire cadre was with the party in Kadapa district.
Sivananda Reddy wanted the party to nominate him to Rajya Sabha, if he was defeated in the byelections. Naidu did not concede to his demand. “We will not accept any conditions to work for the party,” the TDP chief said.
Naidu said the ruling Congress had no candidates to contest in the elections. Its bankruptcy was exposed as it was purchasing TDP leaders to contest as Congress candidates.
Though, initially TDP considered the names of Putta Ramanarasimha Reddy, MLA M Linga Reddy, CM Ramesh and others for Kadapa LS seat and Satish Reddy and his sister for Pulivendula, the party finally zeroed in on Mysoora and Ravindranath Reddy.
“Mysoora Reddy is a good parliamentarian and a gentleman. Ravindranath Reddy is an educated youngster,” Naidu said.
Speaking to reporters later, Ravindranath Reddy exuded confidence of winning the seat.
He said the main fight would be between YSR Congress and TDP in Pulivendula. Last time, TDP got 34,000 votes and the split in Congress votes would help TDP this time, he opined.
Mysoora Reddy, however, said that both Congress and YSR Congress were his main rivals. There would be no impact on the TDP, even if Kandula Siva Reddy quit the party, he added.
–Agencies