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Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's wife Vijayalakshmi filed her nomination, on Tuesday, for the bypoll to Pulivendula assembly seat previously held by her late husband. Vijayalakshmi filed the nomination as Congress candidate at Pulivendula tahsildar's office. She was accompanied by her son and Kadapa member of Parliament Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, her brother-in-law Y S Vivekananda Reddy and district in-charge minister G Aruna Kumari.
Main opposition Telugu Desam Party and Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam party have indicated that they will not field their candidates in Pulivendula bypolls as mark of respect to the late Rajasekhara Reddy. Other parties like Lok Satta and Left are also expected to follow suit, sources said. "My mother was not interested to contest. But I convinced her as per Congress president Sonia Gandhi's directive," Jagan Mohan Reddy said.
The decision to field Vijayalakshmi as Congress candidate is being seen as an attempt to check-mate the supporters of Rajasekhara Reddy who conducted a spirited campaign for installing Jagan Mohan Reddy as Andhra Pradesh chief minister.
The bypoll is scheduled to be held on December 19 and the counting on December 23.