Congress yet to finilise the list - TeluguPeople.com News

New Delhi: The Congress had not finalised its list of candidates for the ensuing by poll in the state, despite Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and APCC president Botsa Satyanarayana having a series of meetings with the AICC general secretary in charge of AP Affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad and special representative Vayalar Ravi.

They also met AICC President Sonia Gandhi. But they could not come to any conclusion. Earlier, Ghulam Nabi Azad briefed Sonia Gandhi about the Coordination Committee meeting chaired by him in Hyderabad on Sunday.

The Congress having some problem finalizing candidates as it had to take into account the erstwhile Congress candidates who were now contesting on the YSRCP.

The Congress leadership, reportedly, asked Rajya Sabha member JD Seelam to contest from Prathipadu Assembly constituency in Guntur district, which he refused. He also refused to ask his wife to contest from the seat.

Speaking to media, Seelam admitted that the party had approached him. 'I have still four and half years term in Rajya Sabha. I declined the offer. But incase the party high command insists, then we will see,' he said.

The Congress leadership was also having some problems in finalizing the Tirupati seat as Chiranjeevi had already recommended the name of former MLA Venkata Ramana while state Cabinet minister G Aruna Kumari wanted her industrialist son Jayadev to be given the seat.

As far as Macherla seat in Guntur district is concerned, local Congress leaders want the party to field Rambabu, a local leader hailing from the Brahmin community. The local Congress leaders assured that they would support him.

There was a demand for fielding a minority candidate in Anantapur Urban. Similarly, the APCC president is understood to be pushing for his own nominee in Rayachoti. In Polavaram, a woman candidate was suggested.

Another contentious seat was Parkal, where it was felt Government Chief Whip G Venkataramana Reddy's wife should be fielded.

Gangula Pratap Reddy was in the race for the Allagadda seat. For Nellore Lok Sabha seat, former Union Minister T Subbirami Reddy's name was finalised.

Another important issue for the Congress apart from finalizing the candidates was the campaign themes. Since the YSRCP was the main rival, the Congress leadership was taking particular care in choosing the campaign themes.

The Congress leaders are certainly more hopeful about the upcoming round of Assembly by- elections than the last round, most of which were in Telangana region. Since in the upcoming round, a majority of the seats are in the Andhra region, the party is confident of putting up a much better performance.