Hyderabad: In an unexpected turn of events following the Congress party's dismal performance in the recently concluded Assembly polls, party's senior leader and former minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu is being considered as the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader. The CLP position had been vacated by senior leader Jana Reddy, who lost from Nagarjunasagar for the first time since the constituency's inception.

According to the Gandhi Bhavan circles, Sridhar Babu's name is being considered in the context of former CLP deputy leader Jeevan Reddy's defeat from Jagtial, the lone constituency represented by the Congress in the undivided Karimnagar district, which has 12 Assembly seats.

This time around, Sridhar Babu turned out to be the lone Congress MLA from the district. He had been elected for the third time from Manthani in the recent polls. Also, the location of Kaleshwaram project in Manthani could be another advantage in favour of Sridhar Babu.

In the past, Sridhar Babu served as the Minister for Legislative Assembly Affairs, Civil Supplies and Higher Education. He also held the post of the government Whip during the Congress regime. He made his political entry following his father, late Speaker in AP Assembly, Duddilla Sripada Rao's brutal murder in a naxal attack.

Sridhar Babu had also held the posts of Karimnagar district president, AICC member and the Chairman of the Manifesto Committee. His selection as the CLP leader has come at a time when various senior Congress leaders tasted defeat in the recent polls.

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