Hyderabad:
Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and President of Jai Samaikyaandhra Party (JSP), Kiran Kumar Reddy, has opted out of the contest in the elections on May 7 in the state.
Though Mr Reddy was expected to file his nomination from his home turf, Piler Assembly constituency in Chittoor district today, he opted out at the last minute and instead fielded his younger brother Kishore Kumar Reddy as the JSP candidate.
Mr Reddy's decision not to fight the election comes as a surprise to the two-month-old party that was established on the united Andhra Pradesh platform.
Barring Mr Reddy and a couple of expelled Congress MPs, the JSP has no other notable faces as some of his erstwhile Cabinet colleagues, who were supposed to join the party, deserted him.
Sources close to Mr Reddy said he did not want to contest the election as he would be busy campaigning for the JSP candidates in other constituencies.
Addressing a road show at Piler, Mr Reddy thanked the people for having elected his father and later him for ten terms from Vayalpadu and Piler constituencies.
He requested them to now extend the same support to his brother Kishore.
Simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and undivided Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly would be held in Telangana region on April 30 followed by Seemandhra on May seven.