Express News Service By

Putting an end to speculation on whether he would contest or not, former chief minister and Jai Samaikyandhra Party president N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday fielded his brother from the Piler Assembly constituency rather than contest the election himself.

With Saturday being the last day of filing nominations, Kiran Kumar Reddy not filing his nomination either for Piler Assembly or any Lok Sabha seat, it is now clear that he will not be contesting the elections this time.

His decision left everyone surprised and rumour mills went agog that he left the battle fray fearing defeat. Kiran Kumar Reddy, however, said he would to campaign for his party candidates and ensure their victory.

Since the schedule of Kiran Kumar Reddy’s visit to Piler was confirmed on Friday, his supporters and locals thought that he would go in a massive procession and file his nomination. The JSP president arrived in Piler and went around the town in an impressive procession along with his brother Kishore Kumar Reddy to file nomination.

When everyone thought that it was Kiran Kumar Reddy who was going to file the nomination, the announcement by the JSP president stunned them. “I am not going to contest the election and it is my brother who will be in the fray,’’ the JSP chief announced sending the gathering into a shock.

Addressing the crowd, Kiran maintained that he decided to keep himself away from electoral contest for taking up a campaign for the cause of Samaikyandhra across the state. Recalling the episode of passage of State Bifurcation Bill in Lok Sabha, he said the Congress divided the state of 23 districts in 23 minutes amid chaos in the Lok Sabha. “The Congress also resorted to unprecedented steps like stopping the live telecast of Lok Sabha proceedings and also attacking the MPs by closing the doors of Parliament.”

He also held the BJP, TDP and YSRC responsible for the state’s division and wanted people to give their mandate to JSP.

“Though the bill was passed in Parliament, we are hopeful that the Supreme Court will quash it as it violated the spirit of the Constitution. After giving their consent for state bifurcation by submitting letters to the Centre, TDP and YSRC leaders are now coming to you. But you should decide whether to support those parties responsible for state division or the JSP which is fighting for Samaikyandhra,” he said and asked the people to vote for the JSP even if they were offered money by other parties or candidates.

Though the followers of Kiran, who were disappointed at their leader keeping himself out of fray, however, are confident about the victory of his brother Kishore Kumar Reddy by a big margin. “Our opponents might think that the absence of Kiran would improve their prospects. But the people of the constituency will always support the JSP and Kiran though they are disappointed at Kiran not filing nomination,” said a JSP supporter who attended the rally.