Rahul aide to pick Nellore MP candidate

NELLORE: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's secret agents led by Madhusudhan Devaram Mistry, who were on the task of picking up the probables to contest for the MP seats from the state in 2014 polls, have apparently narrowed down on the winning horse for the Nellore district.

The names of several industrialists and contractors have reportedly come up for discussion. The Congress wants to take the advantage of group politics in YSRC and they believe that the TDP is far behind in winning the race.

According to sources, Mistry who came to Hyderabad recently on his mission had secured feedback from Nellore DCC in-charge president Chatla Narasimha Rao over the background of some industrialists and politicians.

'Mistry sought to know the social and financial background of these people to choose the list of probables,' sources said, adding that the Nellore MP seat has become a prestigious seat for the Congress after it lost it to YSRC candidate Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy in by-polls.

It is said that Mistry gave a patient hearing to in-charge DCC president about various leaders on who could be a right choice for the party.

One such name which reportedly came up during the discussion is Nellore rural MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy, who is said to be keen on contesting from Nellore. His brother finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy wants to shift to Sarvepalle seat from Atamakur.

Mistry reportedly inquired about the political and family background of Anam brothers. It is also said that the party high command had decided not to pressurise veteran leader T Subbarami Reddy to contest from the Nellore seat following his bitter experience in the 2011 by-elections.

Subbarami reportedly told the high command that he was not keen for Nellore seat. The names of noted contractors like Adala Raghava Reddy, brother of Sarvepalle MLA Adala Prabhakar Reddy, and contractor-cum-philanthropist Vemi Reddy Prabhakara Reddy, brother in law of Nellore city MLA M Sridhar Krishna Reddy have also came up during the meeting with Mistry.

Vemi Reddy Prabhakara Reddy, a close associate of former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was earlier offered Kovur assembly seat during 2004 and 2009 elections but he ignored the proposal due to various reasons.

Adala Raghava Reddy made an unsuccessful effort to secure Zilla parishad chairman post during the previous elections.

Even as Mistry is on his job, it is said that former chief minister and present Rajya Sabha member Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy is keen to introduce his son Sriram Kumar Reddy into active politics by helping him to contest for Nellore MP seat.

Sriram Kumar Reddy is well noted among the top Congress leaders as he was always considered as a close confidant of his father even when the veteran leaders was representing Visakhapatnam parliament Lok Sabha seat.