The Kovur assembly seat in Nellore district fell vacant with the Speaker Nadendla Manohar accepting the resignation of Kovur MLA Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy, recently. Though, no notification for the by election has been announced yet, it is understood that both the Congress and TDP will try their best to wrest the Kovur seat. While the Telugu Desam launched a drive to protect its cadre from poaching by Mr Prasannakumar Reddy, the ruling party is all set to make use of the ongoing Rachchabanda programmes in the Kovur segment as platforms to launch their election campaign.

Sources in Congress said that the Rachchabanda programmes have been arranged at Buchireddypalem, Yellayapalem, Kodavalur and Vidvalur mandals on November 25 and 26 at the instance of minister for finance, Mr Anam Ramanarayana Reddy. The minister, who has already started attacking YSR Congress in the Rach-chabanda programmes held earlier this month. The minister is certain to add more fire to his speeches against the YSRC and TD to derive advantage. In case of the TD, the party high command has asked party district chief and former minister, Mr Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, to enter the fray, since Mr Prasannakumar Reddy is a formidable candidate at Kovur where he won three elections in the past. Although Mr Chandramohan Reddy is not interested to contest, he was forced to agree since there is no other strong candidate.

Incidentally, Prasannakumar is a close relative of Mr Somireddy. Prasannakumar’s father and former minister, the late Nallapareddy Srinivasulu Reddy is not only Mr Chandramohan Reddy’s maternal uncle, but also his mentor in politics. In fact, Mr Srinivasulu Reddy had promoted Mr Chandramohan as his political heir against the wishes of his family members. Hostility continued between Prasanna and Somireddy as the latter climbed the political ladder with ease and established himself as a leader. The TD is bent upon defeating Mr Prasannakumar not only because he switched loyalties, but also for his verbal attacks against TD chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu. In the case of the YSRC, party leaders have already announced that Mr Prasannakumar is their candidate for Kovur and he has also started meeting party cadre in the segment.

The Congress party has not decided anyone for the seat yet. Former legislator, Mr Polamreddy Srinivasulu Reddy, and a Congress leader as well as CEO of a popular medical college, Mr Vemireddy Pattabhirami Reddy, have been vying for the seat. Sources in the Congress said that Mr Polamreddy has the backing of former CM, Mr N. Janardhan Reddy, and Mr Pattabhirami Reddy is being encouraged by the Anam brothers. The name of Mr Sumanth Reddy of Vidvalur mandal is also doing rounds and he is said to be a partner in a business of the CM’s brother. Even as parties are assessing their positions, YSRC leader, Mr Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, alleged on Tuesday that the Congress and TD had entered into a secret pact to ensure the defeat of Mr Prasannakumar.