Surprising as it might sound, YSR Congress party legislators belonging to Reddy community in Palnadu district are said to be lobbying for the retention of the sitting MP from Narasaraopet – Lavu Krishna Devarayalu, who belongs to a Kamma community.
There have been reports from the YSRCP inner circle that party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has denied the party ticket to Krishna Devarayalu in Narsaraopet parliamentary constituency, as he wants to field a Backward Classes candidate from there.
Jagan reportedly asked Krishna Devarayalu to shift to Guntur Lok Sabha constituency, but the MP rejected the offer, as he is aware that he is going to lose the elections from Guntur. There were reports that Krishna Devarayalu is getting ready to defect to the Telugu Desam Party.
Under these circumstances, YSRCP MLA candidates belonging to Reddy community in Palnadu district – Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy from Macherla, Kasu Mahesh Reddy from Gurajala and Gopireddy Srinivas Reddy from Narasaropet – are said to be requesting Jagan not to shift Krishna Devarayalu from Narsaraopet seat.
They told him the party has winning chances in Narsaraopet only if Krishna Devarayalu is given the ticket, as he has done a lot of good work in the constituency and has been nurturing the same.
“It would be difficult for a newcomer to win the confidence of the people in the constituency since the time is very short. Moreover, Krishna Devarayalu is financially sound and is non-controversial. There is no point in shifting him to Guntur or forcing him to defect to the TDP, where he has brighter prospects,” these Reddy MLAs told Jagan.
Following their request, Jagan is learnt to have kept the announcement of candidate for Narsaraopet seat pending, when he released the third list of candidates on Thursday night.
“It is perhaps for the first time that the Reddy leaders have lobbied for a Kamma candidate in YSR Congress party. It remains to be seen whether Jagan will oblige their request,” sources added.