By Ch. Narendra
Hyderabad (Hindusthan Samachar) : The YSR Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy seems to be cautious and want to avoid emergence of any alternate power center in this party. The omissions of his sister Sharmila, who has emerged as a star campaigner in his absence when he was in the jail for 16 months, from the list of candidates, reflects he is worry about growing popularity of his sister. Her omissions gained significance in view of accommodating a number of close relatives in the list.
Likewise, he has also omitted several senior leaders who are having potential of influencing party cadre and also people. However, he accommodated family members of most of leaders. Except couple of former ministers and senior leaders, who are believed to be not so `trouble some’, most of candidates are relatively unknown to people and do not enjoy any command over party cadre.
Sharmila first entered political scene when Jaganmohan Reddy was behind bars and extensively toured the state, organized more than 3,000 kms `pada yatra’ (tour on foot) across the state addressing hundreds of public meetings. This has helped to boost morale of the party cadre and also makes the part intact in his absence.
Many in the party and also out-side viewed that Jaganmohan Reddy may not be come out from jail before elections and she would be projected as chief ministerial candidate. But, surprising every one, he was released on bail allegedly coming into terms with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He started taking grip over party affairs.
After his brothers’ release from jail, Sharmila expressed desire to contest in Lok Sabha polls from native Kadapah constituency, presently represented by Jaganmohan Reddy. However, Jaganmohan Reddy rudely rejected her ambition stating that he had promised cousin brother Avinash Reddy, who is son of his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s brother.
Then she was offered Visakhapatnam, on the north-coastal area of the state. But she was angry and kept away for some months from party affairs. She only returned after announcement of poll schedule with a desire to contest from Visakhapatnam and taking active part in poll campaign. However, shocking everybody, the list of candidates contains name of their mother YS Vijayalakshmi for Visakhapatnam lok sabha.
Vijayalakshmi is presently MLA from their native village Pulivendala and Jaganmohan Reddy is now plan to contest from here as chief ministerial candidate. According to sources, Vijayalakshmi was also upset for denying seat to her daughter. However, Jaganmohan Reddy pacified her by offering seats to her brother and former Kadapa mayor P Ravindranath Reddy from Kamalapuram assembly constituency, which was denied by him earlier.
Jaganmohan Reddy also tried to please his mother by fielding his under YV Subba Reddy, who is husband of her sister, from Ongole Lok Sabha constituency, which was also not cleared by him earlier.
Some of senior leaders like former MP Dr. MV Mysoora Reddy, former ministers Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, Konathala Ramakrishna and former union minister Dr. Ummareddy Venkateswarlu were also kept away from contest. He, however, tried to satisfy them by fielding their kin for the Assembly seats.
For instance, Veerabhadra Rao’s son Ratnakar and Konathala’s brother Raghu have been fielded for Visakhapatnam West and Ankapalli Assembly segments. Jagan has chosen to nominate film actress Roja from Nagari and also picked film director Petla Puri Jagannadh’s brother Uma Shankar Ganesh as the party candidate for Narasipatnam Assembly seat. Meanwhile, Jagan appears to have entertained the pleas of some of his party leaders to consider ‘family packages’ while allotting tickets.
