Jagan had earlier imposed a virtual ban on his family members contesting the general election
Y.S. Vijayamma and daughter Y.S. Sharmila - File photo
Hyderabad: In a reversal of his earlier decision, YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is now planning to field either his sister Sharmila or mother Y.S. Vijayalakshmi from Telangana state in the coming general elections and has also directed them to campaign for the municipal polls in Telangana state.
Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy had earlier imposed a virtual ban on his family members contesting the general election as he felt it was not appropriate for so many members of a family to be in the contest and give the impression that it is a family affair. But due to pressure from party cadres and leaders, as well as family compulsions, sources close to him stated that “either Sharmila or Vijayamma will contest from Telangana”.
Mr Subba Reddy virtually ran the party along with other leaders when Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy was in jail for 16 months. He still seems inclined to contest from Ongole and not Visakhapatnam since Ongole is a safe seat.
Asked to comment on this development, the party’s senior leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, a close aide of the YSRC chief, said, “Jagan Mohan Reddy has not finalised anything about Sharmila or Vijayamma contesting from Telangana. It is true that he thought of having only one member from his family contest in elections, hoping the state will remain united forever. Now that there are two states, and due to pressure from party workers across Telangana state, he may consider fielding them as candidates to give a boost to the party.”
According to sources, Ms Sharmila may test the waters from Malkajgiri for a parliamentary seat, or from some Assembly segment in Nalgonda. Ms Vijayalakshmi might contest from the Assembly segment in Khammam district. In a related development, the YSR Congress on Wednesday released its election campaign schedule for the coming municipal polls in the two states.
According to the schedule, Ms Vijayalakshmi, after concluding her campaign in Kurnool district in Seemandhra, will tour Mahbubnagar district on March 24. Ms Sharmila will campaign on March 22 in Nalgonda district after campaigning in Prakasam district.
He has also told his uncle Y.V. Subba Reddy to be ready to file nomination papers from Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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