Cousin Vs Cousin: YS Sharmila likely to take on YS Avinash Reddy in Kadapa

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief YS Sharmila is likely to contest from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency.

Sources said the Congress leadership has decided to make it difficult for YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on his home turf in YSR Kadapa district.

YSRCP once again reposed faith in incumbent MP YS Avinash Reddy to contest from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. He is one of the accused in the murder case of his uncle and former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy.

Though the names of many leaders were in circulation to replace YS Avinash Reddy, YS Jagan reposed trust in him and field him from Kadapa.

Congress leadership is banking on anti-incumbency to pin down Avinash. Therefore, the party has decided to field his cousin YS Sharmila from Kadapa.

Speaking to NewsMeter, a senior spokesperson from APCC said the party leadership has begun the exercise to finalize the candidates for Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is scheduled to be held on Tuesday and a call will be taken on finalizing the candidates for the Lok Sabha constituencies in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he said.

APCC spokesperson said that mostly the first list of the candidates is likely to be released on March 25 and an announcement regarding YS Sharmila’s candidature as an MP from Kadapa would be disclosed on the same day.

Asked about seat sharing with the Left parties as part of their alliance, he said that the APCC chief already discussed the seat sharing with the Left parties in the state, and the same was informed to the central party leadership. A final call in this regard would be taken before the release of the first list on March 25, he added.

YSRCP and the TDP-Janasena-BJP coalition have announced their candidates for Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies. Congress has received applications from the aspirants, but no announcement has been made as of yet.

The political landscape in Andhra Pradesh is evolving quickly as the Opposition and ruling party pulled up their socks after the announcement of the election schedule.