Congress to field Patil and Ananta for by-polls

Anantapur: Former District Congress Committee Chief Patil Venu Gopal Reddy and Ananta Subba Reddy are way ahead of other contenders in launching their campaign for the ensuing by-elections in Rayadurgam and Anantapur constituencies after Congress high command reportedly confirmed their candidatures.

Sources in Congress said that Congress high command gave the nod to field Subba Reddy, brother of MP Ananta Venkatrami Reddy, from Anantapur Assembly Constituency and Patil Venu Gopal Reddy from Rayadurgam Assembly Constituency.

The two seats fell vacant after disqualification of legislators B Gurunath Reddy and Kapu Ramachandra Reddy as they defied the party whip and voted against the government led by N Kiran Kumar Reddy on the directions of YSR Congress Party.

Former Mayor Ragey Parshuram, INTUC leader Chavva Rajasekhar Reddy, Youth Congress leader Kogatam Vijayabhaskar Reddy, district library chairman Rasheed were among those who openly opposed ticket to MP Venkatrami Reddy's family for the ensuing by-election in Anantapur.

But their efforts proved futile as Congress Party was inclined to field Subba Reddy.

It is learnt that a week ago, a minister from the district suggested to Subba Reddy to launch the by-election campaign without considering his colleagues efforts as Congress decided to allot the ticket to him.

The minister, who accompanied Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Botsa Satyanarayana to Delhi in preparing the candidates list to the ensuing 18 constituencies, succeeded in obtaining the ticket to Subba Reddy.

As the rumours were doing rounds about Subba Reddy's candidature, internecine war among Congress leaders is expected to reach its zenith soon, which will ultimately scuttle Subba Reddy's prospects in the by-election.

Patil Venu Gopal Reddy, who sacrificed his MLA ticket to Kapu Ramachandra Reddy in 2009 general elections as suggested by late YSR, suffered defeat in MLC elections due to internal rivalries in Congress.

However, he managed to convince Congress leaders and was preparing strategies to wrest the seat from his opponents.

Internecine war is haunting TDP also as the cadre was divided into three groups. Jakiullah is making serious efforts to get the ticket for Anantapur by-election.

Interestingly, former Tadipatri Municipal Chairman J C Prabhakar Reddy's son-in-law Deepak Reddy is raring to contest from Rayadurgam on behalf of TDP.