Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader S Jaipal Reddy will, once again, contest from Mahabubnagar in the 2019 elections, said party sources. The leader has reportedly set his sights on the chief ministerial post of Telangana, if the Congress comes to power.
A senior leader confirmed to TNM that the party will give him the seat of Mahabubnagar – his native place – as he is confident of winning the seat.
“It is decided that the Mahabubnagar seat will be given to him. He’s a senior leader, and the party is also convinced that he will win the seat as it is a ‘safe’ seat,” a sitting MLA who did not wish to be named told TNM.
After being elected from the Chevella constituency in 2009, Reddy chose to represent Mahabubnagar in 2014 – after the formation of Telangana. However, the Telangana sentiment worked in favour of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Reddy was trounced by TRS candidate A Jitender Reddy.
The senior leader had first contested from Mahabubnagar in 1984 when he was part of Janata Party. In the following election, in 1988, too he contested from the same seat. However, later he represented Miryalaguda and Chevella.
Jaipal Reddy was a student leader of the Congress from Osmania University. He, however, quit the party in protest against the imposition of the Emergency by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and had joined Janata Party. He contested against Indira Gandhi from Medak constituency in 1980, but was defeated. He shifted to national politics in 1984, winning the Mahabubnagar seat as a Janata Party candidate.
Reddy was the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha in 1991-92. He was a staunch critic of the Rajiv Gandhi government and criticized him and the party during the Bofors scandal. However, while the Janata Dal was slowly disintegrating, he rejoined the Congress in 1999.