TDP MP suspended for meeting Jagan Reddy

                                                                        
Hyderabad, May 25 — The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Friday suspended its former MP M.V. Mysoora Reddy for indiscipline after he met YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu announced the suspension.
Mysura had been sulking ever since he was denied a second term in Rajya Sabha by the TDP in March this year and had been staying away from the party affairs even in his home district. He skipped Chandrababu's recent tour of Kadapa district for campaigning for byelections in three constituencies. His son has already joined the YSRC and talk was that Mysura too would follow suit.

Incidentally, Mysura contested unsuccessfully against Jagan in the byelection to Kadapa Lok Sabha seat in May last year. Hailing from Kadapa district, Mysura was a strong Congress leader along with (late) Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and served as the state Home Minister in early 1990s. After YSR became Chief Minister in 2004, he quit Congress and joined TDP and was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 2006.
A shrewd leader, Mysura was said to be the one who dug out some corruption scandals under the YSR regime. It is learnt that Mysura will be offered a key position in YSR Congress.
Mysoora Reddy, a former home minister, drove to Jagan's residence and met him for an hour before the latter went to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office over corruption cases against him.
Mysoora Reddy, who contested against Jagan and lost the 2011 Lok Sabha by-election at Kadapa, has been sulking ever since the TDP did not renominate him for the Rajya Sabha this year.
Mysoora Reddy had quit the Congress and joined the TDP before the 2004 general elections due to differences with Jagan's father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
Reacting to his suspension, Mysoora Reddy told reporters that he had already quit TDP and hence the suspension held no meaning.
He alleged that the Congress, TDP and CBI had colluded to implicate Jagan in false cases.
"Unable to fight Jagan politically, they have joined hands to implicate him. I have come out to raise my voice against this injustice," he said.
"I know Jagan since his childhood. He has people's support and I am ready to help YSR Congress in whatever way I can," he added.

Jagan calls for restraint, Viveka takes part in road-show

                                                                             

YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday appealed to party cadres and supporters to maintain restraint in the event of his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation, for which, he alleged, the Congress and the Telugu Desam, had hatched a conspiracy.

“People are watching the developments and will teach a lesson to those trying to victimise me,” he said during a road-show at Naramalapadu on Thursday.

Addressing a large gathering, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy alleged that the Congress and the TDP joined hands to scuttle the rise of his fledgling party. The CBI was also part of the game and it was merely “following the directions of its bosses in Delhi.”

“No matter what happens, keep calm as the Congress and the TDP will convert any law and order problem into an opportunity to get the by-elections postponed,” he observed and called upon people to foil “the evil designs” of his detractors.

Security tightened

Security was tightened in places where Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy was undertaking by-election campaign.

Former Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, who resigned from the Congress party on Wednesday, met Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy, his nephew, at Lakshmipuram and participated in the by-election campaign along with him. They had a brief interaction before Mr. Jagan started his fourth day's campaigning in Macherla constituency.

from Hindu

EC asked to consider common symbol for YSRCP

                                                                

A Division Bench of the High Court comprising Justice B. Seshasayana Reddy and Justice K. G. Shankar on Thursday directed the Election Commission of India to reconsider the application submitted by the YSR Congress Party for allotment of common symbol for its candidates in the ensuing by-elections.

The writ petition was filed by a party spokesman B. Govardhan Reddy who contended that the YSR Congress had sought a common symbol but the Election Commission had refused the plea. He filed a writ petition challenging the order of the Commission.

The Bench felt that the application needed to be reconsidered as the rules regarding the allotment of symbols do not deal with the by-elections.

The fledgling party, which is yet to be recognised by the EC, has fielded its candidates in all the 18 Assembly constituencies and to the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

from Hindu

Mopidevi blames YSR for Vanpic deal

                                                                             

In a new twist to the controversy over Vanpic project, Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao on Thursday almost blamed former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy saying he had acted on his instructions and signed the relevant file in his office.

In his resignation letter sent to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, the Minister who held the portfolio of Ports and Infrastructure earlier asserted that he had neither taken a decision on his own on the Vodarevu and Nizampatnam Port and Industrial Corridor (Vanpic) project nor committed any wrong doing in signing the file.

Through the letter, he sought an independent inquiry into the whole affair to ensure that the Congress party continues to enjoy the support of the backward classes. “I want to prove my innocence lawfully and then return to public life and with your permission into the Cabinet. I have the confidence of achieving this”.

“As a person having faith in the party and the leadership, I merely followed the instruction of the then Chief Minister and went to his office after being summoned and signed the file in the presence of his secretary though it was not sent to my office,” he said.

Refuting the CBI's charge that he had erred in signing the GO 29 relating to Vanpic project, he said he had acted on the proposals made by officials and followed the orders of the Cabinet and the then Chief Minister. “If you, the media or anyone examines the note files and the GOs, you will know that there is no truth in the allegations made against me”.

He said he had not misused the opportunity given by the Congress party and everybody knew that he had been working hard for the last one month for the success of the party candidates in the by-elections in the Assembly constituencies falling in Guntur where the population of the Backward Class community was 50 per cent and large number of them hailed from his own fishermen community
from Hindu

YSR Congress will win hands down'

                                                                   

Even if the party's president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation , no one could change the fortunes of the YSR Congress party and it would win all the 18 Assembly seats for which by-elections are being held, party leader Jupudi Prabhakara Rao said at Nakkapalli on Thursday.

Central Bureau of Investigation was harassing Mr. Jagan and showing an undue haste in pursuing cases against him while such an urgency was not shown in the cases pending against some top leaders like J. Jayalalithaa, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and Lalu Prasad Yadav, he told reporters after party candidate Golla Babu Rao filed his nomination for the Payakaraopeta Assembly constituency.

Mr. Babu Rao, who was disqualified as an MLA after getting elected in 2009, went to the Returning Officer's office at the Tahsildar's Office, Nakkapalli, accompanied by more than 10,000 party supporters and party leaders like Konathala Ramakrishna, Ambati Rambabu, Jyothula Nehru, Ambati Vijaya Rao, Koyya Prasada Reddy and others.

HC directive to EC on YSR Cong's symbol plea

                                                                         
HYDERABAD: A division bench of the high court comprising Justice B Seshasayana Reddy and Justice KG Shankar on Thursday directed the Election Commission of India to reconsider the application made by the YSR Congress for allotment of common symbol to its candidates who are contesting the ensuing byelections. The writ petition was filed by B Govardahn Reddy.

He contended that his party had sought common symbol and the election commission had refused the plea. The present writ petition was filed challenging the order of the commission. The bench felt that the application needed to be reconsidered as the rules regarding the allotment of symbols did not deal with the byelections and directed reconsideration.

Arguments in the case filed by CBI seeking cancellation of bail granted to auditor Vijay Sai Reddy, close aide of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused number one will continue on Friday. Justice Chandra Kumar heard the case for a while and adjourned the case to Friday. 
from times of India 

Disproportionate assets case: CBI grills Jagan Mohan Reddy in Hyderabad amidst heavy security

                                                                                
Hyderabad: YSR Congress chief and Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the agency's headquarters in Hyderabad on Friday morning to be questioned in connection with his alleged disproportionate assets case. Jagan's vehicle was surrounded by a massive crowd when the Kadapa MP left for the CBI office on Friday morning and heavy security has been deployed in Hyderabad as his supporters have camped outside the CBI headquarters.
The CBI is questioning Jagan on the Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Ports and Industrial Corridor (VANPIC) deal in the presence of industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad and senior bureaucrat KV Brahamandna Reddy who are already under arrest.
Prasad is the promoter in the VANPIC deal and allegedly invested Rs 850 crore in the business of Jagan for land allotment made to the VANPIC project by the then YSR regime on quid-pro-quo basis. The CBI had on Thursday arrested Andhra Pradesh Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana in connection with the VANPIC project.
Prohibitory orders have been issued in Hyderabad as policy fear that Jagan's supporters could go on the rampage if he is arrested. His anticipatory bail petition was rejected on Thursday by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, hours after the CBI arrested Venkataramana.
Security has been strengthened security in and around the Dilkhusa Guest House where a large number of police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have been deployed. The Raj Bhavan route, which leads to the guest house was barricaded and a lot of traffic restrictions were imposed there.
The High Court as well as the CBI had turned down his pleas seeking exemption from appearing before the agency till June 15 due to his engagement with the by-polls campaign.
The prohibitory orders under Indian Penal Code Section 144 banning assembly of five or more persons came into force at 6 am on Thursday. Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma said the orders would be in force till May 29, a day after he is scheduled to appear in the CBI court. A large number of police personnel have been deployed all over Hyderabad to prevent any untoward incident.
There will be no permission for meetings, rallies and processions during the period. Police have launched checking of vehicles and frisking of people, especially at the entry points into the city.
The police commissioner said they had reliable information that "in view of forthcoming by-elections certain
political parties are likely to organise large number of supporters in Hyderabad city limits, taking advantage of some local events to derive political advantage." In the emotionally charged atmosphere, large-scale mobilisation of people is likely to adversely affect maintenance of law and order, the police chief said.
Jagan has alleged that the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party along with the CBI are conspiring to arrest him and then create a law and order problem to postpone the June 12 by-elections to one Lok Sabha and 18 Assembly constituencies. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Jagan alleged that a conspiracy had been conceived to trigger riots after his arrest and put the blame on him.
"Important thing is that they want me to be arrested. They are creating a law and order situation against me because it is very clear that the Congress is going out," Jagan said while speaking to CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai.
The CBI, in its charge sheet filed against Jagan and 12 others on March 31, 2012, accused Jagan and his father of hatching a conspiracy to defraud the government with Jagan influencing his father Rajashekhara Reddy in doing out certain favours to various investors, who made investments of several crores into Jagan's businesses as a quid-pro-quo arrangement.
Jagan has become a big problem for the Congress and the TDP in the state since breaking away from the former and floating his own party. His YSR Congress is gaining in popularity across Andhra and many Congress MLAs, MPs and leaders are expected to switch side after the June 12 by-polls to 18 Assembly and one Lok Sabha seat.
Surveys indicate a massive victory for Jagan's party in the by-polls as the Congress is on the downswing and the TDP is also not doing too well. Jagan's party is cutting into the votebanks of both the Congress and TDP and the two parties have no leader to counter the YSR chief.
The Congress game plan is to arrest Jagan and prevent the decline of the party in the state, where it had done very well in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. The party wants to charge Jagan in many cases and scare away his supporters. The party is also likely to get a few Congress ministers arrested too in the disproportionate assets case and make it look like a fair investigation.
from IBN Live