After much dilly-dallying, Agriculture Minister Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy has finally decided to contest the byelections from Pulivendula Assembly constituency.

According to sources, Mr. Vivekananda Reddy expressed his willingness to enter fray against his sister-in-law Y. S. Vijayamma from this segment.

It is understood that he conveyed his decision to APCC president D. Srinivas at a meeting, the latter had convened with the Congress leaders from Kadapa district on Thursday. Byelections to Kadapa parliamentary constituency and Pulivendula segment are scheduled on May 8. Former MP Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy is the candidate from YSR Congress Party from Kadapa.

Initially, Congress leaders were not keen on fielding a candidate against Ms. Vijayamma, widow of former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy. However, they changed their opinion at a meeting with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday morning. At the meeting attended by Ministers D. L. Ravindra Reddy, Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy, and Md. Ahmedullah the party felt it should field candidates in the two constituencies.

The party is likely to consider the names of Dr. Ravindra Reddy, N. Varadarajulu Reddy, N. Tulasi Reddy, and former MLA Ramesh Reddy and even invite former TDP leader Kandula Rajamohan Reddy for Kadapa parliamentary constituency. Sources said the Congress leaders pointed out that there was no need to give any concession as Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy had severed ties with the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy, who cut short the ‘Odarpu Yatra' in Vizianagaram and returned to the city, was busy holding meetings with his supporters. The Jagan group sharpened its attack on the Congress with rebel Congress MLAs – C. Adinarayana Reddy, G. Srikanth Reddy, A. Amaranatha Reddy, and B. Gurunatha Reddy -- ridiculing the APCC chief's move to constitute a committee to probe Council poll debacle.

They dared the leadership to initiate disciplinary action against them.

The Congress leaders hit back at the rebels seeking disciplinary action against them. “I will not be part of the election campaign if the five rebel Congress MLAs are not suspended from the party,” Kamalapuram MLA G. Veerashiva Reddy said at a press conference.