Congress vs Jagan Reddy in Kadapa

Hyderabad:  Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency elected YSR Reddy as its MP several times, now his son Jaganmohan Reddy's political future will be determined in the by-election on May 8. The ruling Congress party is a formidable rival and the party is now putting all its resources to defeat YSR's son.

With ceiling fan allotted as an election symbol Jaganmohan Reddy is hoping to pick up the right political wind for the YSR Congress party.




Jagan is contesting the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and his mother Vijayalakshmi is fighting for the Pulivendula assemly seat.

This is a prestige battle for the Congress. No wonder then that Kiran Kumar Reddy has deputed 14 ministers of his Cabinet to campaign for the Congress party.

He knows a setback for Jaganmohan Reddy here will put a brake on his political ambition.

"Leaving problems of the State aside, half the ministry is here in Kadapa for the election. And to create problems for me and my mother, ten nominations have been filed in the name of different Jaganmohan Reddys," said Jaganmohan Reddy, YSR's son.

To match Jagan's crowd-pulling abilities, Chiranjeevi, who joined the Congress after Jagan's exit, has been asked to campaign.

"Why are we having these by-elections? Where was the need? Why are we forced to stand in this hot sun? Only because of one person who wants to get power," said Chiranjeevi, PRP leader.

Pulivendula will see a family soap opera with YSR's brother Vivekananda Reddy contesting against Jagan's mother. While State Health Minister and a well-known YSR rival, D L Ravindra Reddy is pitted against Jagan in Kadapa.