ANANTAPUR: Despite widespread speculations of changing candidates and constituencies in Kadapa district, the YSRC high command has fielded all sitting MLAs and MPs from the district, except in case of Rajampet Assembly segment.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will contest from his home turf Pulivendula again. The constituency has remained a stronghold of the YSR family for many decades.
TDP is fielding its prominent leader B. Tech Ravi against the CM in Pulivendula.
Similarly, sitting MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy will be re-contesting from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. There had been speculation that he would be fielded as MLA from one of the
Kadapa district constituencies. Avinash Reddy had even been made in-charge of Pulivendula segment.
The other MP seat from Kadapa area, Rajampet, has also been given to sitting MP Peddireddy Mithun Reddy. Mithun Reddy had been in-charge for several areas and has played a key role in selection of candidates in Rayalaseema region, along with his father, regional coordinator and minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy.
However, sitting MLA from Rajampet Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy has been denied ticket. Instead, YSRC has fielded Kadapa ZP chairman Akepati Amaranath Reddy from the assembly constituency.
Jagan Mohan Reddy’s maternal uncle Ravindranath Reddy has been given an opportunity for the second time to contest from Kamalapuram. Likewise, Gadikota Srikanth Reddy, whip and sitting MLA from Rayachoti, will recontest from this seat.
Even though several leaders and dissident groups had mounted pressure on the YSRC high command to change the candidate from Proddatur seat, the Chief Minister has chosen to continue reposing confidence in sitting MLA Rachamallu Shivaprasada Reddy.
In addition, sitting MLAs Raghurami Reddy from Mydukur, Dr. Dasari Sudha from Badvel SC, Koramutla Sreenivasulu from Kodur, and Deputy CM Amzath Basha from Kadapa have again been given the opportunity to represent their constituencies in Kadapa district.
