VIJAYAWADA: Chief minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu met party leaders from Kurnool at his residence here on Sunday to pick a candidate for the Kurnool MLC (local bodies) byelection. Kurnool in-charge minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy was also present at the meeting. Though the party considered the names of five leaders, it short-listed two possible candidates.
The Chief Minister who met the MLAs from the district is expected to speak to the two contenders before selecting one of them. According to sources, Kurnool MP SPY Reddy’s son-in-law S Sridhar Reddy stands better chance of bagging the ticket to contest the council byelection.His hard work for the party’s victory in the Nandyala assembly by-election is likely to be rewarded by the TDP chief. The other contender for the ticket is Challa Ramakrishna Reddy.
Kurnool in-charge minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said that the Chief Minister will select a candidate after consulting everyone. Meanwhile, the YSR Congress is examining the names of Silpa Chakrapani Reddy and Gouru Venkatareddy for the ticket.This election is slated to be held on 12 Jan 2018. Silpa Chakrapani Reddy resigned as MLC to contest in the Nandhyal assembly byelection on YSRCP ticket necessitating the bypoll. The ruling TDP is determined to repeat its Nandyal assembly bypoll victory over its rival YSRCP.