In a swift development, YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has decided to field prominent businessman and film producer Potluri Vara Prasad as the party candidate from Vijayawada parliamentary constituency in the April 11 general elections.
According to highly placed sources, Potluri, popularly known as PVP, is going to join the YSRC in Hyderabad at 11 am on Wednesday morning.
It is a surprise development for PVP as well, as he has completely given up the hope to get the YSRC ticket for Vijayawada LS seat after making initial attempts.
Reason: another prominent industrialist and Kamma leader Dasari Jai Ramesh joined the YSRC, after resigning from the Telugu Desam Party. Apparently, Jagan has given the assurance to Jai Ramesh on the Vijayawada LS seat.
Apparently, Jagan was looking for a strong Kamma candidate to take on sitting Telugu Desam Party MP Kesineni Nani in the constituency who has developed tremendous hold over it in the last four years.
And Jai Ramesh approached Jagan through Daggubati Venkateshwar Rao who along with his son Hitesh Chenchuram joined the YSRC recently.
However, surveys conducted by the Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC) of political strategist Prashant Kishor, are understood to have revealed that PVP is a better choice than Jai Ramesh because of his non-controversial nature and also a good name in the Vijayawada political circles.
According to the surveys, Jai Ramesh has never been active in politics. Though he was in the TDP, he has been keeping away from party activities and he has lost touch with the people as he has not taken any active participation in any of the agitations. Not many people will acknowledge him.
So, based on the advice of Prashant Kishor team, Jagan decided to replace Jai Ramesh with PVP, who is a better candidate.
It is learnt Jagan also convinced Jai Ramesh to accept his decision. Since he has also decided to field Jai Ramesh’s brother Dasari Balavardhan Rao from Gannavaram assembly seat, there might not be any resistance from Jai Ramesh, party sources said.