Cong's candidate selection trouble in a few seats for bypoll

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Pradesh and PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana spent the last two days in New Delhi finalising the list of candidates after discussions with AICC leaders including Sonia Gandhi but the names are yet to be announced officially.

Trouble began after the Chief Minister returned to Hyderabad with government chief whip Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy and his wife Jyothi, an aspirant for Parakal seat in Warangal district, leading a protest outside the CM's camp office here today.

There were reports that the name of a local leader Samma Rao, who joined Congress from Telugu Desam Party yesterday, was finalised for Parakal seat, triggering protests.

Ramana Reddy, along with his wife Jyothi, met the Chief Minister this morning and demanded that the party reconsider its decision to field Samma Rao in Parakal.

"In the first place, we never sought a ticket but Jyothi's name was floated. When we made necessary arrangements for the contest, the party chose to give the ticket to an outsider," Ramana Reddy was said to have told Kiran Kumar. (more) PTI DVB

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