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

Jagan Mohan Reddy's mother to hit YSR Congress's bypoll campaign today

                                                                                              

Hyderabad: YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy's mother Vijayamma is set to kick off her party's bypoll campaign in Andhra Pradesh from Wednesday. Vijayamma met Jagan in Chanchalguda jail cell on Tuesday. She and her family have been sitting on dharna accusing the CBI of a witchhunt in order to prevent Jagan from campaigning for the bypolls that will take place on June 12. Vijayamma will begin her campaign from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.

"Jagan has been campaigning extensively and because the Congress fears of being routed in the bypolls, so they have put my son in prison. I will seek the people's mandate. People of Andhra Pradesh have seen how my family has been treated after my husband's death. I have faith in their decision," she told CNN-IBN.
"I had earlier written to Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister and now to the Chief Election Commissioner. I have knocked on all doors for justice for my family and now I am putting this matter before the people's court," she added.
Meanwhile, a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials from Delhi on Tuesday arrived in Hyderabad to approach a local court for questioning Jagan who has been arrested by the CBI in a disproportionate assets case.
The ED wants to question 39-year-old Reddy, who was sent to a jail on Monday after being remanded in two weeks of judicial custody by a CBI court, with regard to financial dealings in various firms run by him and other investments he and his companies allegedly made overseas.
The CBI's first charge sheet in the case was against Reddy and 12 others and had accused him of getting investments worth several crores from various business firms into his businesses as part of quid-pro-quo when his father, late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. The CBI has filed three chargesheets in the case till now.
from IBN Live

Jagan's absence YSRCP's biggest challenge now

                                                                               

The fledgling YSR Congress Party faces its biggest challenge since its formation as it has to factor in the absence of its president Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy and place full faith and confidence in his mother Ms. Vijayamma in spearheading the party's by-election campaign.

Vijayamma to lead

Although it was fully prepared for the eventuality, the Jagan-centric party was confounded when realisation dawned after the Kadapa MP's arrest that he would no longer be available for electioneering. But, it recovered soon and, in a dramatic manner, declared that his mother would lead the campaign for 12 days.

Political novice

A heavy burden is cast on Ms. Vijayamma, clearly a political novice, to ensure that her party candidates win the elections. But, party leaders are clear that her message would be straight and simple – exposing the ‘conspiracy' behind jailing her son and continued victimisation of late YSR's family.

According to the script prepared by party leaders, she would question CBI's urgency to summon him for interrogation on May 25, when it had not bothered do so for the last 280 days. As she has already stated, she would highlight the hidden agenda behind the move – to keep her son away from the campaign so that the Congress and TDP derive an unfair advantage.

Emotive appeal

She would make an emotive appeal expressing doubts over the accidental death of her husband in the helicopter crash. She may not spare AICC president Sonia Gandhi for trying to target her family.

On the other hand, the Congress leaders are sceptical whether she could step into the shoes of Mr. Jagan and campaign as vigorously. They are also hopeful that the sympathy generated by her dharna outside the Dilkusha Guest House on Sunday might peter out by the time the polling is held on June 12
from Hindu

Jagan files petition challenging his arrest

                                                                                       

Justice B. Chandra Kumar of the A.P. High Court is likely to hear on Wednesday afternoon, the petitions filed by YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy challenging his arrest and his subsequent custody.

The judge wanted to know from Jagan's counsel whether there were any provisions under the law to grant permission to Jagan to carry on his campaign in by-elections. The judge said without going into merits and facts of the case, the question will specifically be dealt by the court on Wednesday. The petition filed by CBI challenging the decision of the special CBI Court in rejecting its plea to grant police custody of Jagan to interrogate him in disproportionate assets case was also to be tagged along with this petition. The special court of the CBI did not grant custody of Jagan to CBI. It also did not entertain the request of the MP from Kadapa to be set free to facilitate electioneering. Meanwhile, the judge reserved orders in a petition filed by Jagathi Publications and Vijaya Sai Reddy challenging the action of the special court in taking cognizance of the charge-sheet filed by CBI against them. They said that incomplete charge-sheet cannot be entertained by the special court and that too when the investigation was not complete.

from hindu

Noose tightens around Jaganmohan Reddy

                                                                               

On a day when there was a flurry of activity in the courts, the legal problems of YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy compounded on Tuesday when the CBI court asked him to appear before it on June 11, the day on which his current judicial remand is set to end.

After taking cognizance of the second charge-sheet filed by the CBI against Jagan and others in the disproportionate assets case, the Principal Special Court for CBI Cases directed prison authorities to produce Jagan before it on a prisoner transit (PT) warrant on June 11.

Vijay Sai summoned

Also, it summoned his auditor V. Vijay Sai Reddy and a representative of Jagathi Publications to appear in court on the same day.

The CBI had filed the second charge-sheet on April 23 naming Jagan, V. Vijay Sai Reddy and Jagathi Publications as the three accused in that order.

Taking the charge-sheet into cognizance on Tuesday, the court gave separate number for the case (CC 9/2012).

Cognizance of the charge-sheet paves way for the next procedure of questioning of the accused by the court and framing of charges to facilitate commencement of trial. The court has already directed the accused in the first charge-sheet to appear before it on June 11.

Meanwhile, the investigating officer of the case and CBI SP, H. Venkatesh, re-submitted the third charge-sheet in the case to the court on Tuesday after carrying out corrections.

The court had returned the charge-sheet to CBI earlier this month citing some procedural shortcomings and other details.

The court has also written to the Ministry of Home Affairs informing it about the arrest and judicial remand of Jagan. The YSR Congress president filed a petition in the High Court challenging his arrest and custody while, separately, he urged the special court, through another petition, to grant him bail as he was spearheading the campaign for his candidates contesting by-elections to 18 Assembly constituencies and Nellore Lok Sabha seat.

Allegations

Jagan submitted to the court that the allegations levelled against him in the first charge-sheet, based on which he was arrested, were false and incorrect.

The grounds for his arrest that he would misuse his status as MP to influence witnesses and tamper with the evidence were also wrong. Admitting the petition, the court directed the CBI to file its counter and posted the case for hearing on May 31.

 from Hindi

HC to examine Jagan issue today

                                                                                 
Hyderabad:The High Court will examine on Wednesday whether there is any provision in law to permit Kadapa MP and YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is in judicial remand, to campaign for his party candidates for the June 12 byelections.

Justice B Chandra Kumar asked the counsels of the CBI and Jagan Mohan Reddy to come back at 2.15 pm on Wednesday and assist the court hear the issue without going into the merits and facts of the case concerned.

The lower court had on Monday remanded Jagan, accused number one in the alleged illegal assets case, in judicial custody till June 11 to prevent him from influencing the witnesses and tamper with evidence. Following this both the CBI and Jagan on Tuesday approached the vacation bench of the High Court with their respective petitions _ the CBI seeking his custody and Jagan challenging the arrest and remand.

Jagan said the CBI had arrested him on May 27 and produced him in the CBI court on the following day. The court, while remanding him in judicial custody, said that he, being an MP and president of a political party, was in a position to influence witnesses and tamper with evidence. It was not at all proper for the CBI court to remand him on the above grounds, he said. Already, the CBI had filed three chargesheets and was in possession of all the evidences. There was therefore no scope for tampering with evidence, he contended.

Saying that the CBI arrested him on Sunday with mala fide intentions, Jagan requested the High Court to quash the lower court’s order of remand, and release him on bail immediately.

As counsels of both the parties requested the judge to hear their cases on Wednesday, justice Chandra Kumar reserved his orders on the petitions of Jagathi Publications and V Vijaya Sai Reddy challenging the order of the court taking cognizance of the first chargesheet, and sought to know whether there was any provision in the law to permit him to campaign in the byelections.

“It is a democratic country and elections are part of it. In a democracy, we cannot curtail any party leader or candidate to campaign in election. Without looking into facts or merits of the case or allegations and counter allegations, I will hear both the parties on this limited issue tomorrow,” he said.

The judge asked both the counsels to explain whether the law permits the court to grant police custody of an accused beyond the stipulated period of 14 days. The CrPC mandates the investigation agency to seek police custody of an accused in the first 14-day remand period. If the period elapses,� the agency cannot move an application for police custody of an accused.

Earlier, Sushil Kumar, appearing for Jagathi Publications and Vijay Sai Reddy, said Section 173 of CrPC does not empower a trial court� to take cognizance of an ‘incomplete’ chargesheet filed without completing investigation.

from ibn live

Jagan Mohan Reddy's bail plea adjourned to May 31

                                                                          
HYDERABAD: After spending Monday night in jail following the court's order of judicial custody till June 11, a special court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on YSR Congress party leader and Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's bail petition to Thursday in a disproportionate assets case.

The CBI court admitted the fresh bail petition for hearing and directed the CBI to file a counter by the next hearing, IANS reported.

The court had on Monday dismissed Jagan's bail plea. He was sent to Chanchalguda Jail after being accorded special prisoner status.

The YSR Congress Party leader, in his fresh petition filed today, has sought bail on the ground that he wants to campaign for the party in the byelections.

Byelections to one Lok Sabha and 18 assembly seats are scheduled to be held June 12.

Jagan's lawyers also sought permission from the Andhra Pradesh high court to file a petition challenging his arrest. With the vacation bench granting permission, the quash petition would be filed Wednesday.

Terming his arrest as illegal, Jagan has alleged that he was arrested only to keep him away from the poll campaign.

In another development, the CBI also sought permission to file a petition seeking Jagan's custody for 14 days. The investigating agency has moved the high court after the CBI court on Monday dismissed its petition.

Jagan was arrested by CBI in a disproportionate assets case on Sunday and was lodged in a Hyderabad jail yesterday after a court remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.

EC not to intervene

Meanwhile, the Election Commission is understood to have decided not to intervene in the matter concerning the arrest of Jaganmohan Reddy, whose mother has sought his release in view of the coming bypolls in Andhra Pradesh, according to PTI.

The three-member Election Commission met today under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi and discussed the letter from Y S Vijayalakshmi, YSR Congress honorary president, seeking a direction from the commission for her son's release.

Top sources in the EC said the commission was not in a position to do anything in this regard as the matter was sub- judice and a legal process was on.

The commission will make clear its position in a communication to Vijayalakshmi, they said.

Against this backdrop, Vijayalakshmi had written to the CEC pleading for his release so that Jagan could campaign in the June 12 bypolls to 18 assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh.

The party had also decided yesterday that she would lead the campaign in Jagan's absence.

Urging for conduct of free and fair elections, Vijayalakshmi had said, "I am writing this letter with great hope that you would kindly intervene (in the matter)...

"CBI arrested him (Jagan) on May 27, just 15 days before the by-elections...This is part of a larger conspiracy to deprive his participation in the elections with the sole objective of helping the ruling Congress candidates."
from Times Of India

Vijayamma's campaign from tomorrow

                                                                             

Taking over from where her son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy has left, YSR Congress honorary president Y.S. Vijayamma will plunge into electioneering from Wednesday.

Ms. Vijayamma continued her fast at her Lotus Pond residence on Monday even as the Central Governing Council of the party held an emergency meeting to take stock of the decision. Attended by M. V. Mysura Reddy, Y.V. Subba Reddy and 20 others, the meeting appealed to her to call off her fast. Ms. Vijayamma broke her fast after former MLA Konda Surekha offered here lime juice.

She will launch her campaign from Narsannapet constituency in Srikakulam district on May 30 and tour Payakaraopet, Ramachandrapuram, Polavaram, Narsapur and Prathipadu constituencies till June 3.

As she has already hinted, her speeches would highlight the “conspiracy” hatched by the Congress and the TDP to get Jaganmohan Reddy arrested and raise doubts over the death of her husband, YSR, in a helicopter crash in 2009. The party leaders plan to bring the arrest of Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy to the national level.

Earlier, in the day, Ms. Vijayamma, along with other family members, continued fast at her residence. Addressing the gathering at fasting camp, she said that in view of the demand from public who needed her leadership in the absence of Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy, she was calling off her fast. Roja and a number of leaders joined the protest.

from Hindu

YSRCP activists pin hopes on Vijayamma

                                                                                      

The partial bandh in the city was a shot in the arm of the YSR Congress party rather then a discouragement. Their logic being that the bandh observed was a spontaneous one because almost all the leaders of the party have either been confined to their homes are taken into preventive custody.

District convenor Samineni Udaya Bhanu who set course for Hyderabad in the early hours was arrested on the way. Barring former MLA Jaleel Khan who was campaigning in one of the assembly constituency that is set for by-elections the police has very successfully immobilised the entire party machinery in the city.

There was no destruction of property because of the timing of the arrest, but for the by-elections the destruction of property would have been severe according to party workers. Mr Jagan has been sending word through several leaders that there should not be any destruction or violence because that would have an impact on the voters in the bye-elections.

The party cadre have now pinned all their hopes Mr Jagan's mother Y.S.Vijayamma. They are hoping that Ms. Vijayamma would melt the hearts of the voters. While the earlier estimate was either 15 or 16 the arrest of Mr Jagan would tip the scales in favour of the party and that would result in it bagging all the 18 seats for which elections were being held. These were predictions released by none other than Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal.

Mr. Jagan was arrested only to prevent the Congress MLAs from leaving the party in hordes to join YSR Congress, the party cadres believe.

from Hindu

EC orders release of YSRCP leaders

                                                                          

The Election Commission (EC) has ordered immediate release of leaders and workers of political parties, including YSR Congress Party, arrested by the police under the Preventive Detention Act.

Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal told reporters here on Monday that he had issued the orders to that effect to Collectors who are district election officers, to ensure that all those taken into custody in the 12 districts where by-elections were being held to be set free forthwith.

The EC had taken this step, as indiscriminate arrests of leaders and workers of a political party although they did not commit criminal offences, would curtail campaigning. This would be violative of the code of conduct and would be potential enough to affect the free and fair elections.

The action by the EC is expected to give some relief to the YSRCP, hundreds of whose workers were arrested on Saturday-Sunday along with leaders at different places. On intervention by local election authorities in East Godavari district, P. Subhash Chandra Bose, YSRCP candidate in Ramachandrapuram Assembly constituency, was released. Sources said the CEO had issued the orders after consulting the Election Commission instead of addressing a letter to Chief Secretary Pankaj Dwivedi as he had originally planned.

Mr. Bhanwar Lal said the situation in the 12 districts was peaceful with no untoward incident being reported from these areas. He said those organising bandh should not, in any way, obstruct campaigning by a candidate. The YSRCP was greatly relieved on another count, as returning officers in all the constituencies allotted “Ceiling Fan” symbol to all its candidates, as per the present rules which stipulated that the preference of sitting members must be respected while making symbol allotments out of EC's list of free symbols.

Meanwhile, 242 candidates remained in fray in the 18 Assembly constituencies after 25 candidates withdrew nominations on Monday, the last date for withdrawals.

 from Hindu

Jagan moves court for bail, mother seeks CEC's intervention

                                                                                  
YSR Congress chief and Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday moved the CBI trial court for bail in connection with the disproportionate assets case. Barring Jaganmohan Reddy and his close aide Vijay Sai Reddy, a special CBI court on Monday granted bail to 11 otherpeople accused of involvement in his illegal assets case.
All the 13 accused, including Jagan, as he is popularly called, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investiagtion (CBI) on Sunday night, appeared in the special CBI court in response to its summons over the first charge sheet.
Those who appeared in the court included senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer BP Acharya, who is already in jail for his alleged involvement in the Emaar-APIIC township case.
Jagan's auditor Vijay Sai Reddy was not granted bail.
Those who were given bail included managing directors Srinivasa Reddy (Hetero Drugs), Nityananda Reddy (Aurobindo Pharma), Sarat Chandra Reddy (Trident Life Sciences), AP Industrial Infrastructure  Corporation's former officer Y Vijayalakshmi, and Aurobindo Pharma's former company secretary Chandramouli.
The court summons on Jagan and 11 others were served May 14.
However, the CBI arrested Jagan on Sunday evening after questioning him for three days.
The CBI had filed the first charge sheet March 30. The second was filed April 23 and the third May 7.
The agency booked a case against Jagan and 71 others in August last year on the direction of Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The young leader is accused of conspiring with his father and then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy to dole out favours to companies which invested in his businesses in a quid pro quo arrangement.
The CBI also presented before the court leading industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad and bureaucrat KV Brahmananda Reddy as their 10-day CBI custody ended Sunday.
The agency moved a petition seeking their custody for four more days. The court however, sent them back to Chanchalguda Central Jail.
The court on May 16 had remanded them in judicial custody till May 30.

Jagan sent to judicial custody; CBI calls him a swindler

                                                                                    
A special court Monday remanded YSR Congress  Party leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy to judicial custody for 14 days in a disproportionate assets case. The CBI court sent the Lok Sabha member to judicial custody till June  11. The court dismissed his bail petition.
Judge A Pullaiah, who heard arguments from both sides in the morning,  pronounced his order around 4.30 p.m.
Jagan, who was arrested on Sunday, was produced before a CBI court in Hyderabad.
Seeking 14 days police remand, senior CBI counsel Ashok Bhan alleged that YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy "sent (bribe amount) abroad and got it reinvested in his business through hawala racket".
"Jagan never cooperated in the investigation during the three-day questioning period in true sense," the CBI counsel alleged.
"Jagan can no longer masquerade as a victim of CBI probe. He cannot assail CBI for being victimised. He has hoodwinked the people of a huge sum of money. We will now show the people about his swindling of money. He cannot seek public sympathy He has deprived poor people and caused them irreparable loss and in turn enriched himself by dubious mechanism by sending the funds abroad and getting the same invested in his companies," the counsel alleged.
CBI has charged Jagan under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 477A (falsification of accounts) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
"Investments to the tune of Rs. 1234 crore have been made in his (Jagan's) companies and he himself got enriched by Rs. 300 crore. There are certain traces and he did not cooperate on the same," Bhan alleged.
"It is a white collar crime committed by 74 accused, including Jagan, and so far chargesheets have been filed against 24 accused. All the accused in custody (industrialist N Prasad, senior bureaucrat KV Brahmananda Reddy) have revealed certain glaring facts about the case and we have to confront Jagan on the information provided," the CBI counsel claimed.
CBI has sent Letters Rogatory to Mauritius and Luxembourg to get more information as there were alleged investments to the tune of several crores in Sandur Power by Jagan.
"Luxembourg-based Asian Infra is suspected owner of Sandur Power," the agency submitted.
There are similar transactions in the "exclusive knowledge" of Jagan which will be known only after getting his custody, the CBI counsel said.
"Jagan got enriched enormously in a short span of four years after influencing his father Rajashekhar Reddy, the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh in getting ill gotten money into his own firms from investors who doled out favours as part of quid pro quo," the counsel alleged.
"Some investing companies got alloted thousands of acres of agriculture land in turn of investments after Jagan influenced his father," the agency further alleged.
Further investigations need to be carried out on the role of Jagan with regard to the influence made on his father, the agency said.

YSRCP will sweep the Andhra by-polls, says his sister

                                   

                                                                                          

Jagan will sweep the Andhra by-polls, says his sister

Vijayamma evicted after staging protest at Dilkusha

                                                                                    

YSR Congress honorary president Y. S. Vijayamma had baptism by fire as the leader of her party when she was physically removed and bundled into a police van for protesting against the arrest of her son Jaganmohan Reddy outside the Dilkusha guest house here on Sunday.

However, she continued the dharna outsider her residence in Jubilee Hills.

Accompanied by family members, Ms. Vijayamma, MLA from Pulivendula, staged a three-hour long dharna on the pavement outside the guest house after meeting her son.

She was joined in the protest by daughter Sharmila, son-in-law Anil Kumar, Jagan's wife Bharati and close relative Y. V. Subba Reddy besides Congress MP Sabbam Hari and MLC Jupudi Prabhakar.

Even before Mr. Jagan's arrest was formally announced, tense family members drove from the Lotus Pond residence to the guest house and had a brief meeting with him.

On emerging, Ms. Vijayamma, fighting back tears, spoke to the large contingent of media before staging an impromptu dharna.

Explanation sought

In what could be a preview of the election campaign which she is now called upon to spearhead, she wondered what would happen to her son now in view of grave apprehensions about the manner in which her husband died in a helicopter crash in September 2009.

“Is this the reward you are giving to YSR who wanted to make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister”, she asked.

She demanded an explanation about the circumstances under which Mr. Jagan had been arrested and the basis for it. “What mistake has he committed. Was it wrong to have gone on “Odarpu Yatra” and honour the promise made to people. Is he being harassed because of his popularity among the people and the by-elections”, she asked.

Ms. Vijayamma and her family members put up a stiff resistance when police tried to remove them.

They first bundled Mr. Subba Reddy, Dr. E. C. Gangi Reddy, Jagan's father-in-law, and Jupudi Prabhakar into police vans.

Later, women police dragged the others, pushed them into waiting vehicles and drove them to their residence.
from Hindu

Meteoric rise of Jagan in State politics

                                                                        

It was a meteoric rise for Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in Andhra politics after fate cut short the life of his father and then Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009.

Even though he became an MP from Kadapa Lok Sabha in 2009 May elections, the tragic death of his father propelled him to the centre-stage of State politics after 151 of the 156 Congress MLAs signed a petition urging the Congress high command to make him the Chief Minister. However, the AICC leaders frowned upon the idea and made veteran leader K. Rosaiah to take over the reins.

Till then Mr. Jagan, YSR's only son, was living in Bangalore to look after the business interests pertaining to power, cement, media and other sectors. Even as Mr. Rosaiah began his innings as Chief Minister, Mr. Jagan became a virtual power centre in the State with several Ministers and legislators frequently flocking to him. In a bid not to disturb the equilibrium in the party, the high command was forced to retain most of the Ministers who were hardcore YSR loyalists in Mr. Rosaiah's Cabinet.

Seeking to consolidate his position politically, Mr. Jagan planned to launch a tour of the State to console the families of those who committed suicide or died of heart attack following the unexpected death of YSR. With AICC president Sonia Gandhi rejecting his proposal to go on the tour, he defied the leadership and launched ‘Odarpu Yatra'.

He later parted ways with the Congress and launched his own YSR Congress Party on March 12, 2011.

Following separate petitions filed by the then Minister P. Shankar Rao and Telugu Desam leader, K. Yerran Naidu, the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the CBI to probe into allegations of amassing of wealth illegally by Mr. Jagan. Subsequently, the CBI registered a case on August 17, 2011 by naming Mr. Jagan as the first accused in the disproportionate assets case. The FIR mentioned that Mr. Jagan and his father “who was holding high constitutional position have adopted several ingenious ways to amass illegal wealth which resulted in great public injury”. The modus operandi followed by the duo was to dole out public properties, licenses, allotting/ granting various projects, including the SEZs, mining leases, ports, real estate permissions and other benefits to the persons of their choice in violation of established norms and procedures with a clear understanding of “quid pro quo”, the FIR stated.

The beneficiaries, in turn, have given bribes to Mr. Jagan under the guise of purchasing shares in companies floated by him at huge and unsubstantiated premiums.

The IPC Sections under which Mr. Jagan and others were charged include 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 477-A ( falsification of accounts). They were also charged under sections of the Prevention of the Corruption Act.

from Hindu

A pre-emptive strike to deter MLAs flocking to Jagan camp

                                                                           

The systematic pursuing of cases against YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy, followed by the just concluded three-day intensive grilling by the CBI — which received wall to wall coverage on Telugu channels — has already set the stage for a groundswell of sympathy for him. His arrest on Sunday evening and the announcement that his mother Vijayamma — widow of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhar Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash in 2009 — will take charge from Monday of the campaign for the coming by-elections to one Lok Sabha seat and 18 Assembly constituencies can only add to the highly surcharged atmosphere in Andhra Pradesh. Already, the entire State is in a state of high alert, while the capital Hyderabad has been heavily barricaded to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order, arising out of rival shows of strength by Jagan loyalists and Congress supporters.

Why was Mr. Reddy arrested? A senior Congress functionary told The Hindu that the situation had so spun out of control that it “did not have any political strategy” for the State, but that “the decision that Jagan would have to be arrested was taken a while ago.” The logic is that as the Congress has very low expectations of performing well in the June 12 polls, it should focus instead on keeping its flock together: the arrest of Mr. Reddy, it is felt, will deter Congress MLAs and Ministers sympathetic to his cause from following him out of the party, and prevent the collapse of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government. It will also give the government, the Congress feels, time to dismantle Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy's empire. The Congress' current limited objective is to keep its government in Andhra Pradesh intact till 2014, when both the State and general elections will be held, in the hope that it can recover some ground by then. An indication that the party feels the situation in the State is hopeless for it, Congress sources said, is that the general secretary in charge of A.P., Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, has been focussing his energies on the other State he is in charge of — Jammu and Kashmir.

But the Congress' political opponents are pointing out that if Mr. Reddy misused his position when his father was Chief Minister to amass wealth disproportionate to his means, so had many other YSR loyalists, now in the Congress, with some in the present State government. The logical follow-up to the arrest of Mr. Reddy will be the interrogation by the CBI — and the possible arrest — of these others.

Apart from that, if the YSR Congress sweeps the June 12 by-polls — as it may well do — it could lead to an exodus from the Congress to it, as Congressmen position themselves for 2014 by switching to the winning side. In 2009, the Congress won a whopping 33 Lok Sabha seats from the State; now, the party is fighting on two fronts — one trying to stem the growing popularity of the YSR Congress, largely in the Andhra region, and the other, figuring out how to dampen the agitation in Telangana.

The only trick the Congress has up its sleeve is the fact it got actor — and Kapu leader — Chiranjeevi to merge his party, Praja Rajyam Party, with the Congress recently. Congress sources say Chiranjeevi is likely to be included in the Union Cabinet when the next reshuffle takes place. That may be a signal to the Kapus, but what of the Reddys, the mainstay of the Congress? For the Congress, there are troubled times ahead in the beleaguered State.

Congress plays down arrest of Jagan

                                                                              

The Congress high command had come to the firm conclusion that the odds were anyway stacked against the party in the ensuing by-elections and there was no need to spare Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy under these circumstances.

This was the refrain among Congress leaders while justifying Mr. Jagan's arrest. A Minister quoted an AICC leader as saying that “why should Mr. Jagan Reddy be spared when our own Minister has been arrested in the illegal assets case.”

For record's sake, Congress leaders played down the political implications of the arrest of the YSR Congress president by describing it as routine work done by the CBI probing illegal assets case. PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana said that the arrest was neither a loss nor gain for the ruling party. “How is the Congress party connected to his arrest,” he told The Hindu . Remaining guarded in their reaction, they tried to differentiate between the corruption cases filed against the Kadapa MP and the sympathy that his party might gain in the by-elections.

from Hindu

CBI seeks 14-day custody of Jaganmohan Reddy in DA case

                                                                              
HYDERABAD: Amidst unprecedented security, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) produced YSR Congress president and Kadapa parliamentarian Jaganmohan Reddy in the Nampally courts on Monday morning, charging him with looting public property.

The CBI sought his custody for 14 days. Jagan is accused number one in the assets case and was arrested on Sunday evening by the CBI after three days of questioning.

Senior CBI counsel Ashok Bhan alleged that YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy "sent (bribe amount) abroad and got it reinvested in his business through hawala racket".

"Jagan never cooperated in the investigation during the three-day questioning period in true sense," the CBI counsel alleged.
"Jagan can no longer masquerade as a victim of the CBI probe. He has robbed public properties. Investments to the tune of Rs 1234 crore have been made in his (Jagan's) companies and he himself got enriched by Rs 300 crore. There are certain traces and he did not cooperate on the same," Bhan alleged.

"It is a white collar crime committed by 74 accused, including Jagan, and so far charge sheets have been filed against 24 accused. All the accused in custody (industrialist N Prasad, senior bureaucrat K V Brahmananda Reddy) have revealed certain glaring facts about the case and we have to confront Jagan on the information provided," Ashok Bhan appearing for the CBI told principal special judge A Pullaiah. The CBI was responding to the YSR Congress chief's charge on the morning of his arrest to a private news channel that he was a victim of the investigative agency which continued to question him on the same issues despite him giving the replies and cooperating with t
Apart from Jagan, the other accused in the assets case, including his financial auditor V Vijay Sai Reddy, Vanpic promoter Nimmagadda Prasad and bureaucrat K V Brahmananda Reddy also appeared before the principal special judge in response to the summons issued by the court. Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, former excise minister and another accused in the case, did not make his appearance.

The court proceedings are expected to go on for a few hours as the judge will take a decision on the CBI's plea for Jagan's custody only after hearing his counsel which include top Supreme Court advocates who flew in from New Delhi on Monday morning.

The CBI convoy carrying Jagan left Dilkusha Guest House, the makeshift office of the investigative agency where he was lodged for the night after his arrest the previous day, a little before 10 am for the Nampally courts about 5 kms away where an unprecedented security deployment was in place. At about the same time, Jagan's mother and Pulivendula MLA Y S Vijayamma along with a few family members staged a 'dharna' (sit-in) in protest against her son's arrest in front of their Lotus Pond residence in Jubilee Hills. The police claimed that she did not have permission to hold a sit-in protest, indicating that she could be arrested in a short while.

Meanwhile, the 'bandh' (shutdown) called by the YSR Congress in protest against Jagan's arrest was by and large peaceful and partial across the state. Most parts of Rayalaseema including Jagan's native district Kadapa observed the shutdown while it was partial in the Andhra region and largely ignored in the Telangana region.

In the city, the shutdown was partial barring stray incidents of stone pelting on state road transport buses.

Hyderabad: Jagan Mohan Reddy arrested, state on high alert

                                                                             
HYDERABAD: After three days of intense interrogation, YSR Congress president Jaganmohan Reddy was arrested by the CBI on Sunday evening in connection with the disproportionate assets case. Apprehending violence from YSR Congress workers and Jagan fans, police enforced prohibitory orders all over Andhra Pradesh.

An uneasy calm prevailed in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions after Jagan's arrest. Shopkeepers pulled down the shutters and the state-run Road Transport Corporation curtailed bus services to the districts. Telangana was cool to the Kadapa MP's arrest.

Police effected preventive arrests of YSR Congress leaders in several towns and mandals to prevent any untoward incident. An RTC bus was attacked in Rajahmundry, while a curfew-like situation prevailed in Kadapa, the home town of Jagan. Cable TV connections were also cut off in places. As of now there is no news of violence.

Earlier, Jagan arrived at the Dilkusha Guest House, where he was interrogated for nearly eight hours. He was accompanied by his trusted aide, Congress MP Sabbam Hari, Congress MLAs Alla Nani and Ranga Rao and senior leaders Bajireddy Goverdhan and Jupudi Prabhakar Rao. His close associate and financial adviser and accused number two in the case Vijay Sai Reddy also came along with Jagan's lawyer Ashok Reddy.

Jupudi Prabhakar Rao, MLC, told reporters that their party president was "unjustly" arrested by the CBI. Later, Jagan's mother and honorary president of YSR Congress Vijayamma, his wife Bharati, sister Sharmila and brother-in-law Anil Kumar rushed to Dilkusha Guest House to meet him. Sources said Jagan would be produced in the special court for CBI cases on Monday, where he is anyway expected to appear in response to a summons issued by the judge.

However, CBI continued to play a cat-and-mouse game, not coming out with all information with the result that a huge poose of newspersons and OB vans landed up before the house of the CBI special judge on Road No. 10, Banjaraq Hills.

As CBI grills Jagan, Congress scrambles to prevent further defections

                                                                                       

Congress leaders scrambled to prevent further desertion after one more legislator from Bobbili, R.V.S.K. Ranga Rao, joined the YSR Congress Party even while its president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy was being grilled by the CBI for the second successive day here on Saturday. He has been asked to appear before the CBI for questioning once again on Sunday.

PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana, who was embarrassed by the defection of an MLA from his native Vizianagaram district, went into fire-fighting mode by contacting other legislators who might cross over to the Jagan camp. He despatched post haste, the district in-charge Ministers to get in touch with the MLAs to convince them to remain in the party fold.

These MLAs, mostly those who sailed with Mr. Jagan before voting on the no-confidence motion in November last, hail from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East and West Godavari, Krishna, Prakasam, Guntur, Kurnool, Kadapa and Nalgonda. Even as the ruling party was recovering from the shock of desertion by Eluru MLA Alla Nani on Friday, Mr. Ranga Rao, who is serving his third term as MLA, called on YSR Congress honorary president Y.S. Vijayamma and later Mr. Jagan at their Lotus Pond residence here.

Sensing Mr. Ranga Rao's move, a Minister Kondru Murali and N. Santosh Reddy, younger brother of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, intercepted him at the Hyderabad airport when he landed here from Visakhapatnam. They tried hard to make him change his mind and even made him speak on phone to the Chief Minister.

Mr. Ranga Rao was, however, unwilling to oblige and reportedly stated that he was given a short shrift by the Congress leadership in spite of being a senior MLA.

Adding to the woes of the Congress party, dissident MP from Anakapalli Sabbam Hari went on record saying that a few more MLAs would join the YSRCP in the next couple of days.

Before leaving for questioning by the CBI, Mr. Jagan disclosed to a television channel that he was getting feelers from Congress and TDP MLAs about their willingness to join his party. But he would be choosy about whom to admit.

In Guntur, TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu claimed that desertions from his party would not have any effect. The Congress leaders tried to play down the desertions as Mr. Murali and Chief Whip Gandra Venkataramana Reddy and Whip Anil Kumar said no MLA was joining the YSR Congress, as it was a sinking party.

from Hindu

Waiting game over Jagan's possible arrest

                                                                                

Both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the camp of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy are playing a waiting game over the issue of his likely arrest in the disproportionate assets case.

Belying speculation of Mr. Jagan's arrest immediately after interrogation on Friday, the CBI chose not to take him into custody either on the first day or even after the second round of questioning on Saturday. It has summoned him for further examination for the third straight day on Sunday.

It is unlikely that the CBI will arrest him on Sunday as he has to appear before the CBI court on the following day – May 28. Legal pundits say that it is not unusual for the police – in this case the CBI – to arrest the accused during or immediately after interrogation as was done in the case of V. Vijay Sai Reddy. But it has to record reasons for taking him into custody even though he is appearing before the agency. The A.P. High Court had directed the CBI to follow this procedure as contemplated in section 41 (A) of Cr. P. C while dealing with Mr. Jagan's petition challenging the CBI's summons.

The CBI may not strain itself on this count since the real drama will anyway unfold on Monday when the agency will file its counter to Mr. Jagan's anticipatory bail application. The CBI can seek Mr. Jagan's custody immediately after his appearance in the court. It may make out a case that he was not cooperating with the investigation and that there would be a serious threat to law and order if he remained at large.

‘Errabelli colluding with YSRCP in Parkal'

                                                                                     

Leaders of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) accused Telugu Desam Party MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao of colluding with YSR Congress Party in Parkal constituency and of trying to bail out Konda Surekha by making his party cadre scapegoats.

TRS MLA D. Vinay Bhaskar and party district convenor P. Sudarshan Reddy said Mr. Dayakar Rao openly differed with Ms. Surekha and her husband Muralidhar Rao but he still had close connections with them.

He was trying to deceive his party workers by extending indirect support to Ms Surekha, they alleged.

Taking strong exception to the remarks by Mr. Dayakar Rao on their party, the TRS leaders released a questionnaire comprising 25 questions which they said the TDP MLA should answer openly. “We are ready for an open debate on these accusations. Let Mr. Dayakar Rao decide on the date and venue,” they said.

‘Deceived all'

The TRS leaders said Mr. Dayakar Rao deceived all the people who helped him shape his political career and emerge as a leader in the district.

Late TDP leader N. Yathiraja Rao and his son Sudhakar Rao helped him much whom he dumped later.

“Mr Dayakar Rao will not hesitate to make his own party workers scapegoats which he did several times. His personal interests are important than his party's,” Mr. Vinay Bhaskar claimed.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders Boojugundla Rajendra Kumar, Md. Nayeem and others were present at the press conference.

From Hindu

‘YSR death haunting Congress'

                                                                                       

The YSR Congress Party (YSR CP) has alleged that the Congress High Command was harassing Kadapa MP and party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy fearing that the truth behind death of former chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy would come out.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, YSR CP district convener Samineni Udayabhanu said that Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal's firecrackers leave enough indication that he joined hands with the corporate houses that hatched a plot to kill Dr. Reddy. Very soon their shoddy affairs will come to light, he said.

Mr. Rajagopal, who has eyed the chief minister's post, was trying to win the heart of party leadership by criticising Mr. Jagan.

But, he would receive a jolt from his party's high command shortly.

The MP understood the fact of life that he would not win from any of the constituencies in the State through surveys he conducted, and was trying to ‘buy' a Rajya Sabha ticket, he said.

‘Owes explanation'

The MP owes an explanation to people on Lanco Hills land at Hyderabad. Everyone knew that it was Wakf land. He also needs to explain why his brother Sridhar invested in Sakshi newspaper.

Reacting to Mr. Rajagopal's comment that Mr. Jagan threw plates at the dining table in a rage demanding MP's ticket, Mr. Udayabhanu sought to know whether the MP was present at that time. Mr. Rajagopal, who married another woman while the first was still alive, has no right to teach morals to Vijayamma, Dr. Reddy's widow, he said.

The YSR CP will romp home in all 18 Assembly constituencies in the State.

The migrations from Congress party and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) have already begun.

The migrations highlight the mistrust among MLAs about the leadership, he added. The YSR CP official spokesperson Gaddam Muttha Reddy spoke.

From Hindu

Mekapati welcomes rivals into YSRCP

                                                                                

Further increasing by-election rhetoric, YSR Congress Party nominee for said that the MLAs from the rival political parties were welcome to join their party now.

Addressing at a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Rajamohan Reddy said that many leaders were coming forward to join their party because of the growing popularity of their president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.

There was good response from all over the State as the YSRCP nominees were enjoying massive support from all sections of voters in the current by-elections.

Mr. Rajamohan Reddy, whose resignation caused by-election for Nellore LS seat, said that senior leader M.V. Mysura Reddy's joining was a good development and the party would make good use of such a knowledgeable leader's services.

He asserted that Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy was an efficient leader, who should be given all the required support now.

To a question, Mr. Rajamohan Reddy said that their party would have nothing to lose even if the Congress and the Telugu Desam had a hidden deal to sabotage their party nominees' winning chances in the by-elections.

“We will win with comfortable majorities. It is the people, who will decide the fate of candidates ultimately. The plans of our rival parties will be of no use and such efforts will only backfire on them,” he added.

Complain to EC

Several YSRCP leaders, who also spoke, said that they complained to the election authorities regarding large-scale spending by the rival Congress party nominee T. Subbarami Reddy.

They said that if the expenses made by TSR on his nomination day filing were taken into view, it would cross the limit given for the MP seat candidate.

From Hindu