Congress Rajya Sabha member T. Subbirami reddy said he has decided to contest from Visakhapatnam seat in the next Lok Sabha elections as per the wishes of the people there.

Addressing media persons in Delhi today, he said the Visakhapatnam people have been asking him to represent their constituency in the next Lok Sabha. “I have to respect their wishes,” he said.

Observing that Union Minister Purandhareswari was elected from Visakhapatnam constituency last time, he said she can have an alternative next time. “She can contest either from Ongole or Narsaraopet in the 2014 elections,” Subbirami reddy suggested.

Subbirami reddy, who has close relations with the congress high command, has been systematically nurturing the Visakhapatnam constituency for a long time after having eyed the seat.

Sources said he has been in close touch with the congress high command and has already expressed his wish before the big bosses in Delhi to contest from Visakhapatnam next time. However, the high command’s reaction to his request is not yet known.

One has to wait to know how Purandhareswari will react to Subbirami reddy’s lobbying for the seat in the wake of reports that the union minister has also had close rapport with congress president Sonia Gandhi. (JUBS)