Clearing the air over reports that YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s sister Sharmila was eyeing the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat in the next general elections, YSR Congress MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy said that Y. S. Avinash Reddy, cousin of Jaganmohan Reddy, would be the official nominee.
“If Ms. Sharmila wants to fight the next elections, she can choose any seat she wishes. Will anyone refuse if she chooses to contest from Ongole or Visakhapatnam,” Mr. Reddy asked reporters in the Assembly on Sunday.
Differences denied
Seeking to end speculation in the media that Ms. Sharmila was evincing interest in the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat after the success of her ongoing ‘Maro Praja Prasthanam’ padayatra in the State, the YSR Congress MLA from Ongole said it was all a figment of imagination.
There was also no truth in reports that Mr. Avinash Reddy had dropped plans to undertake a padayatra in Kadapa Parliamentary constituency following her insistence upon contesting the seat.
He denied that differences had arisen between Ms. Sharmila and Y.S. Bharati, wife of Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy.
“If that is true, why would Ms. Bharati participate in Ms. Sharmila’s padayatra from Idupulapaya in October,” he asked.
‘Seemandhra Lok Sabha seats finalised’
He said that candidates for half the Lok Sabha seats in Seemandhra had been finalised. “We are keen that the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections should be conducted simultaneously. If the Lok Sabha elections are ordered first, we will force the government to seek a trust vote after mobilising MLAs to our side,” he pointed out. Mr. Srinivasa Reddy said the government would have to seek a floor test if 15 Congress MLAs switched sides. “In such a scenario, there will be many legislators who will back the YSR Congress’ efforts to bring down the government. On our part, we will not move a no trust motion till Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy comes out on bail,” he added.
He claimed that there were at least eight MLAs in Ranga Reddy district who were set to join the YSR Congress, most probably in January.
