AP bypolls: Battle lines emerging slowly

HYDERABAD: Battle lines are emerging slowly. The ruling Congress has announced its list of candidates for the by-election for six Assembly seats in Telangana and one in Kovur in Nellore district in coastal Andhra.The selection of Mutyala Prakash, DCC presdient of Mahaboobnagar, came as a shocker to Vijayalakshmi, widow of N Rajeswar Reddy, the stting MLA.She had expected the Congress to nominate her.She is being pressed by her followers to contest as an independent.She had let go of an opportunity of becoming an MLA when the TRS thought of nominating her.Now that it nominated a minoirty candidate, Vijayalakshmi is on her own now.The nomiantion of P Vishunuvardhan Reddy to contest the Kollapur seat vacated by Jupalli Krishna Rao, who subseqeuntly joined the TRS, was not unexpected.Information and public relations minister DK Aruna pitched for him to settle scores with Krishna Rao who will be TRS’ candidate.In Nagarkurnool, K Damodar Reddy will take on Nagam Janardhan Reddy who vacated the seat in a demonstration of his commitment to the Telangana cause.Nagam will be contesting as an independent.The candidates for other seats are Pratap (Station Ghanpur),Ramachandra Reddy (Adilabad), E Raja Reddy (Kamareddy), Mutyala Prakash (Mahaboobnagar) and Polamreddy Srinivasa Reddy (Kovur).