Is former deputy chief minister Damodara Raja Narasimha creating hurdles in the path of T Jayaprakash Reddy (Jagga Reddy), sitting MLA from Sangareddy Assembly Constituency in Medak district? It appears so if reports from Delhi are anything to go by.
According to sources privy to the happenings in Delhi, Raja Narasimha had requested the Screening Committee to field some other candidate for Sangareddy Assembly seat. He explained to and top leaders that Jayaprakash was close to former CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who had revolted against the party high command, and Muslims in the constituency are against him, source said. The former deputy CM was also said to have pointed out that Jagga Reddy had opposed state bifurcation.
Raja Narasimha’s argument was not supported by his senior colleague from the district J Geeta Reddy at the meeting. Sources said Damodara was asked by committee members whether there was any other leader of Jagga ’s caliber to contest.
It may be noted when party central observers had visited the district seeking the names of probable candidates, only Jagga Reddy’s name was submitted for the constituency by District Congress Committee president V Bhupal Reddy.
Though Raja Narasimha’s wife Padmini Reddy is aspiring for Congress ticket for Sangareddy and had even announced her intention at a media conference in Hyderabad, she or her supporters did not submit any application to the visiting party observers.
A senior Congress leader from the district felt that Jagga Reddy was not only close to Kiran Reddy but also to several important leaders from the district. At no point of time did Jagga Reddy speak ill of the party or its decision to bifurcate AP, but only expressed his personnel feelings about it, the leader said, adding the party will not be in a position to ensure victory of its candidate if it decides not to field Jagga Reddy.
Another senior leader said Damodara is opposing Jagga Reddy’s candidature only because he has been maintaining distance from the former. He exuded confidence that Congress candidate for Sangareddy will only be Jagga Reddy.