Thursday 31 May 2012

Another legislator quits Congress, two more call on Jagan Reddy's mother


                                                                                   
HYDERABAD, Jailed Member of Parliament Y.S Jaganmohan Reddy received a shot in the arm on Thursday with another legislator resigning from the ruling Congress party and two more showing solidarity with him.
A day after Krishna Ranga Rao resigned from the Congress party to join YSR Congress, another legislator Alla Nani announced that he too was quitting the ruling party.Nani, who represents Eluru constituency, made the announcement after he called on Jagan in Chanchalguda Central Jail. He said he would actively campaign for YSR Party from Friday in the by-elections.
The Central Bureau of Investigation last Sunday arrested Jagan in a disproportionate assets case. The next day, he was sent to judicial custody till June 11 by a special CBI court.
The disciplinary committee of the state unit of the Congress party had issued show cause notices to both Nani and Ranga Rao for moving closer to Jagan.
Meanwhile, two more legislators called on Jagan's mother and YSR Party honorary president Vijayamma and expressed their solidarity.
Congress legislator from Kakinada D. Chandrasekhar Reddy and another legislator, Jayamani from Parvathipuram called on Vijayamma in Visakhapatnam, where she is campaigning for the party.
Chandrasekhara Reddy had told reporters that he would stand by the family of YSR in the crisis time.
Reddy said he would consult his followers over the next two days before taking a decision on resigning from Congress party.
According to Jayamani, she too would decide her future course of action after consulting her followers.
Political observers feel the switching of loyalties by Congress legislators would strengthen YSR Party in the run up to June 12 byelections to one Lok Sabha and 18 assembly seats.
The by-elections were caused by the legislators crossing over to Jagan's camp during the voting on no-confidence motion against the Congress government in the state assembly in December last year.
from times of india

Court posts orders on Jagan's bail plea to Friday

                                                                                         
Hyderabad: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court posted to Friday the orders on the bail petition of Member of Parliament YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is in jail in a disproportionate assets case.

The CBI court on Thursday reserved the orders after hearing the arguments of the lawyers of Jagan and the probe agency.

Jagan's counsel Ranjit Kumar argued for his conditional interim bail so that he could campaign for his party in the June 12 by-elections.

He told the court that Jagan was arrested when he was in the midst of the campaign.

He said that if Jagan was granted interim bail, he would appear in the court after the campaigning came to an end June 10.

Jagan was also ready for daily appearance in the police station of the constituency he was visiting, he said.

The counsel also argued that the CBI had never questioned or arrested Jagan while the case was registered in August last year.

He alleged that it was a political conspiracy to keep him away from campaigning for the by-elections to one Lok Sabha and 18 assembly seats.

The CBI, however, opposed the bail petition on the grounds that Jagan was the number one accused in the state and, if released on bail, he could tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses.

The agency also submitted to the court that Jagan was not contesting the by-election and hence his presence was not required for the campaigning.

The CBI counsel also told the court that Jagan committed the economic offence in a planned way and hence was not entitled to claim freedom.

The court also adjourned to June 4 hearing on the bail petition of former minister Mopidevi Venkataramna. The CBI sought time to file counter to Venkataramna's bail petition.

Jagan, Venkataramna, industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad and bureaucrat KV Brahmananda Reddy are all lodged in Chanchalguda Central Jail.

CBI arrested Jagan on May 27 after questioning him for three days.

The court next day sent him to judicial custody till June 11.

Jagan is accused of conspiring with his father and then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy to dole out favours to certain companies in the form of land, licences and other concessions in return for the investments they made into his businesses on quid pro quo basis.
from NDTV

Viveka to campaign for YSRCP

                                                                                
Former Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, who quit the Congress last week, joined YSR Congress Party at Idupulapaya on Wednesday and said he would launch election campaign on May 31.
Along with followers, Mr. Vivekananda Reddy offered floral tributes at his brother and former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's samadhi at Idupulapaya and took an oath to counter the Congress' malafide propaganda against YSR and his family and to stand by YSRCP president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
Mr. Vivekananda Reddy criticised Congress leaders stating that those who eulogised YSR in the past were now projecting him as a wrongdoer. He said he left the family for the sake of Congress but the party ignored his family. He asserted that derogatory remarks on YSR would not be tolerated.
Pro-people decisions
YSR introduced innovative developmental and welfare schemes that won the hearts of the people, but never took anti-people decisions, Mr. Vivekananda Reddy told a press conference in YSRCP office at Rayachoti. All the decisions of YSR were pro-people and he gave good governance from 2004 to 2009.
YSR yearned to irrigate every acre of land by completing irrigation projects under Jalayagnam.
from Hindu

Huge crowds for Vijayamma's road shows

                                                                                       
YSR Congress (YSRC) hon. president Y.S. Vijayamma attracted huge crowds at her election road shows in Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts on Wednesday when she said she had come to the people's court to seek justice for her son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
She alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had shown over-enthusiasm in arresting Jagan even after the courts had sought to allay her son's fears of being taken into custody when he filed his anticipatory bail application.
The thrust of Ms. Vijayamma's speech in Narsannapeta and Payakaraopeta (Visakhapatnam district) later in the evening was that a conspiracy had been hatched to put her son in jail and that people's love for Jagan would expose the conspirators.
Accompanied by her daughter, Sharmila, the YSR Congress leader, arrived to a rousing welcome at Visakhapatnam airport and drove to Narsannapeta, 15 km from Srikakulam town, where crowds were waiting patiently for nearly two hours to listen to them. They were given a big reception at Madapam junction from where they travelled to Narasannapeta through Komarti, Edulavalasa, Makivalasa and Mubagam villages.
Seeking the people's support for her party in by-elections, she narrated the ordeals being faced by her family with the constant harassment of Jagan for the past nine months. During this period, the investigating agencies had not produced any credible evidence against her son and yet arrested him in the midst of the election campaign.
She expressed doubts over the death of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the helicopter crash in 2009 September. “It is the responsibility of the government to clarify the doubts about my husband's death. The inquiry over the crash was not conducted properly and I fear the trial against my son also will not be done in a fair manner,” she said.
from Hindu

I have come to seek justice, says Vijayamma

                                                                             
The Main Road here was full as thousands of people converged to listen to YSR Congress Party honorary president Y.S. Vijayamma. They waited patiently for over two hours to listen to her as she was expected to bring the message of YSRCP president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, who was arrested by the CBI in a disproportionate assets case a few days ago. Ms. Vijayamma arrived at 8 p.m. to the cheers from the crowd. She was accompanied by her daughter Sharmila as she arrived on the open top van and addressing a public meeting on Wednesday.
She greeted the crowd with folded hands and said, “I bow to you for the affection you have shown to Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Jagan. I don't know how to express my gratitude for your love and affection. I only came to say on behalf of Jagan that he would come out unscathed soon and there is no cause for worry.” She recalled how YSR had brought the Congress to power in 2004 and 2009 and always thought of bettering the lives of the masses and farmers through various welfare schemes like Arogyasri and irrigation projects. She said that the schemes were neglected by the Congress government so that people would forget YSR.
She also alleged that Jagan was jailed, though there was no evidence against him, in a bid to stall his growing popularity and to prevent him from campaigning for the party nominees in the by-elections. Turning to the people, Ms. Vijayamma said, “I come to seek justice in the fight to uphold truth and righteousness. I know you can understand the situation and cooperate in ending the injustice.” She had a word of praise for the party nominee from Payakaraopeta Golla Babu Rao, the sitting MLA who had resigned from the Congress, due to his loyalty to YSR. She promised, on behalf of Jagan, that he would continue the welfare schemes launched by YSR.
Ms. Sharmila said that the by-elections were the starting point for areferendum on YSRCP. It shows the love of the people for YSR, theirbelief in the innocence of Jagan and that they want to see him as the future CM. She was optimistic that people were solidly behind theparty. A large number of women and children turned up for the meeting and many of them were seen surging forward to catch a glimpse of Vijayamma from close quarters. Many climbed onto roof tops of buildings all around the venue and cheered her waving to her whenever she referred to Jagan or YSR.
from Hindu

Jagan's wife seeks security for him

                                                                                          
Bharati Reddy filed a petition in the A.P. High Court on Wednesday seeking enhanced security for her husband Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in the Chanchalguda jail.
Justice B. Chandra Kumar said he will hear this petition on Thursday along with other related petitions, including another one filed by her challenging Jagan's judicial remand.
The other petitions include one filed by Jagan challenging his judicial custody and two petitions filed by the CBI -- one questioning the Special Court's order refusing police custody and the other questioning observations of the special CBI court on CBI's entitlement to interrogate an accused after filing the charge-sheet.
Meanwhile, a Division Bench comprising Justice K.G. Shanker and Justice B. Chandra Kumar adjourned to second week of June the appeals filed by State government questioning the order of a single judge suspending the ban on Government advertisements to Jagathi Publications and Indira TV.
 from Hindu

Congress all set to expose Jagan

                                                                                       
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC president Botcha Satyanaryana will launch an all out offensive on the YSR Congress Party chief and his mother Vijayamma's charges against the Congress party and its leaders. Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy will tour Narsapur and Payakaraopet on Thursday, while Mr. Satyanarayana left for Ramachandrapuram to participate in electioneering.
The AICC general secretary in-charge of AP, Ghulam Nabi Azad's visit to the State for electioneering is doubtful, according to the party leaders. He was scheduled to tour Nellore, West Godavari and Chittoor districts from June 3 to 5. With the Congress Working Committee meeting on the said days, it is not clear whether he would participate in the campaign.
Throughout Wednesday, Congress leaders keenly watched the road shows of Vijayamma in Narsannapet and Payakaraopet. They said the crowds might be huge but the big question was whether they would translate into votes. They were divided in their reaction to the YSR Congress Party's honorary president's maiden election campaign. While some said she could not articulate her speeches and tried only to attract sympathy, others admitted that the turnout of people particularly the women was a cause of worry.
“Women are known to get emotional when someone comes out openly and seeks justice for the victimisation of family,” a senior Minister said pointing out that if the trend continues in other constituencies also, it would be tough time for Congress.
Faults Vijayamma
The PCC chief at a press conference faulted Vijayamma for levelling serious allegations against the party on the arrest of Jaganmohan Reddy. “We are determined to expose the corruption of Kadapa MP and explain the factual position regards the charges hurled at us by his mother,” he said on Wednesda
from hindu

Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister steals the show, says bring back 'Rajanna rajyam' (YSR rule)

                                                                                                      
NARSANNAPET (SRIKAKULAM): Three days after her son was sent to jail, Vijayamma hit the dust trail in north coastal Andhra district of Srikakulam on Wednesday accompanied by her daughter Sharmila. And it was Sharmila who stole the thunder at the road shows with women and youth standing dangerously on rooftops, craning their necks out to have a glimpse of YSR's daughter.

"Nenu Rajanna koothurni, Jagananna chellalni. Na peru Sharmila" (I am YSR's daughter, Jagan's sister. My name is Sharmila), she introduced herself to the crowd, who clapped and cheered her lustily, as Sharmila along with her mother made her first public appearance outside faction-ridden Pulivendula. Addressing the enthusiastic crowd from atop her late father's `prachara ratham' (make-shift campaign bus), Sharmila said the time had come to bring back 'Rajanna rajyam' (YSR rule) and make Jagananna the chief minister of the state. "My brother was implicated and arrested in a corruption case. Those who are laughing at our plight should be taught a fitting lesson," she said, raising her voice, much to the delight of the crowd.

In her bid to milk the YSR sentiment, Sharmila also talked about the injustice meted out to her family by the Congress high command. "My brother will walk out from jail victoriously and fight for you. He will solve all your problems and restore all the welfare schemes of my father," she thundered and pleaded with the voters to defeat both Congress and TDP. As the campaign vehicle surged ahead, Sharmila held aloft a ceiling fan (YSR Congress Party symbol) asking the people to vote for the party and waved to the milling crowds in the typical fashion YSR would do.

The roads were chock-a-block with thousands of screaming Jagan fans, with traffic coming to a grinding halt at several places as the Vijayamma ratham moved on. While Sharmila's baptism into electoral politics was smooth, Vijayamma looked out of sorts as her tepid speech failed to enthuse the crowd. "She did not capitalize on Jagan's arrest issue. She did not focus much on how the Congress had pushed her to come out of her house . She was found wanting as her speech lacked the punch," said Dola Krishna Murthy, a pan shop owner in Narsannapet.

Vijayamma fails to impress crowd

In fact, the eight-km-long road show from Madapam to Narsannapet witnessed a huge turnout, but Vijayamma's speeches in muffled voice fell far short of expectations of the people and YSR Congress leaders and cadres.

Vijayamma said she came to explain to people what her son has got in return for what her late husband had done for the Congress. "You are the ultimate judges. They (read Congress) sent him to jail since they wanted him out of the way till the byelections are over," she said, adding that she has a responsibility to ensure re-election of those who had stood by Jagan. She also raised the bogey of YSR's death in a chopper crash and the lingering doubts among people. "Braving heat, large number of people came to see their 'amma.' But it remains to be seen whether the crowd turnout will translate into votes on June 12," said Nalla Kurma Naidu, a Telugu literature student. Sources said the crowd were mobilized from other parts of the district and even from neighbouring Vizianagaram and Bobbili.

Vijayamma and her daughter later campaigned in Payakaraopet constituency in Visakhapatnam district.

Vijayamma will visit Ramachandrapuram in East Godavari on May 31, tour Narasapuram on June 1, Polavaram on June 2 and Prathipadu in Guntur district on June 3, YSR Congress leader Talasila Raghuram said.
from times of india

Jagan challenges arrest

HYDERABAD: Justice B Chandra Kumar of the Andhra Pradesh HC on Wednesday adjourned its session� to Thursday to hear petitions filed by the CBI and Jagan Mohan Reddy — who was remanded to 14 days in judicial custody — in the illegal assets case.
The court also permitted the CBI to serve personal notices to the respondents including Jagan, the prime accused in the case. The CBI has filed two petitions — one challenging a lower court’s order to remand Jagan to judicial custody and another to seek police custody of the accused. On the other hand, Jagan’s counsels have also filed two petitions — one challenging the legality of his arrest and another challenging his judicial custody. 
from IBN Live