Even as YSR Congress Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is actively making changes to the list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, speculations have been circulating on social media.
On Friday, a press statement purportedly released by the party started circulating, claiming that the YSRC leadership had made changes in the party candidates for six more seats in the erstwhile combined East Godavari district for the ensuing assembly elections.
Though the names in the list were on expected lines, the party quickly issued a statement, dismissing the press note about changes in candidates in some constituencies as "fake."
"While the statement is fake, there is a possibility that some names mentioned in it might be correct. But Jagan is still making a lot of decisions, and he might bring in some more changes," sources said.
For the sake of the record, the following changes are indicated in that fake press statement: State Minister for Information and Public Relations Chelluboyina Srinvasa Venugopala Krishna, currently representing the Ramachandrapuram assembly constituency, has been shifted to Kakinada (rural) constituency, replacing sitting MLA Kurasala Kannababu.
While retaining sitting MLA Varupula Subba Rao from Prathipadu, the YSRC chief appointed former MP Thota Venkata Narasimham from Jaggampet assembly constituency, replacing sitting MLA Jyothula Chanti Babu.
From Pithapuram, sitting MLA Pendem Dorababu has been replaced, and in his place, the party has designated Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha as the candidate for the assembly elections.
In the Ramachandrapuram assembly constituency, presently represented by Chelluboyina Venugopala Krishna, the YSRC president named Thota Trimurthulu as the candidate.
The Ramachandrapuram seat was demanded by Rajya Sabha member Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose for his son Pilli Surya Prakash, but Jagan did not oblige his request. Instead, he designated Surya Prakash as the candidate for the Mandapeta constituency.
Similarly, Payakaraopet MLA Golla Babu Rao has been replaced, and in his place, Jagan has decided to field Pedapati Ammaji, the State SC corporation chairperson. She was earlier named as the Razole assembly in-charge.
From the Rajahmundry city assembly constituency, presently represented by the Telugu Desam Party, the YSRC chief has chosen local MP Margani Bharat as the party candidate in the assembly constituency.
