Hyderabad:
The ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh is desperately looking for a suitable candidate to take on its former leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and his mother Vijayalakshmi in the two forthcoming by-elections.
As it heads for the all-important by-elections to Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies on May 8, Congress is struggling to select someone to take on Jagan and his mother.
The by-election was caused following Jagan's resignation from the Lok Sabha as well as the Congress on November 29 last year.
Jagan, son of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, will fight for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat while Vijayalakshmi will vie for the Pulivendula seat which she had vacated along with his son.
Initially, it was expected that Congress would pit state Agriculture Minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy, Jagan's uncle, against his sister-in-law in Pulivendula, a family stronghold.
Viveka, younger brother of late YSR, retired as a member of the state Legislative Council on March 29 and has to get elected to the state legislature within six months to continue as a minister.
Since biennial elections to the Legislative Council have concluded, the only option for the Congress is to field him from Pulivendula.
Though Viveka today offered to step down as minister, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy refused to accept his resignation since there is a constitutional provision that enables him to continue in the post for six more months.
Initially, the name of Viveka's son-in-law Narreddy Rajasekhara Reddy was put in circulation for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat but the move was strongly opposed within Congress as Narreddy was perceived to be no match for Jagan.