The murder of former minister, YS Vivekananda Reddy in 2019, has taken centre stage in Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency as his niece, YS Sharmila Reddy on Friday launched her poll campaign with a fresh tirade against her brother and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, for allegedly shielding the killers.
Accompanied by Vivekananda Reddy’s daughter Sunitha Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief and party candidate for Kadapa seat launched the campaign bus yatra.
The cousins slammed Jagan Mohan Reddy for once again fielding YS Avinash Reddy from Kadapa, despite the CBI naming him and his father, YS Bhaskar Reddy, as accused in Vivekananda Reddy’s murder.
Accusing her brother of promoting the politics of murder, Sharmila Reddy said if politics of murder is to be put to an end, people should defeat him and Avinash Reddy.
She reiterated that Jagan Mohan Reddy has once again fielded the killer of their ‘chinnanna (uncle)’.
Sharmila Reddy, daughter of former chief minister, late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, said she embarked on the poll campaign with the blessings of her father, the love of her mother and as per the last wish of ‘chinnanna’.
She alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy was misusing power to shield the killers.
“I am contesting from Kadapa to make sure that the killer does not enter the legislature again. I am fighting for justice,” she said, targeting cousin Avinash Reddy, who is seeking re-election for a third-consecutive term.
The Congress leader said Jagan Mohan Reddy mortgaged the state’s interests, including special category status for Andhra Pradesh and the Polavaram project with the BJP government at the Centre.
On her part, Sunitha Reddy appealed to the people to elect Sharmila in this fight for justice for her father Vivekananda Reddy.
On the first day of her campaign, Sharmila Reddy will cover seven mandals in Badvel Assembly segment.
The Congress party had on Tuesday named Sharmila as the party candidate from Kadapa.
The same day she offered tributes at the samadhi of her father at Idupulapaya. She said Vivekananda Reddy’s last wish was to see her contest for Lok Sabha from Kadapa.
Former minister and MP, Vivekananda Reddy was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula town of Kadapa District on March 15, 2019, weeks before the elections.
The 68-year-old was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and killed him, just hours before he was to launch YSR Congress Party’s election campaign in Kadapa.
Though three Special Investigation Teams (SITs) conducted the probe they failed to solve the mystery.
The CBI took over the investigation into the case in 2020 on the direction of Andhra Pradesh High Court while hearing a petition of Vivekananda Reddy’s daughter Sunitha, who raised suspicions about some relatives’ involvement.
The CBI filed a charge sheet in the murder case on October 26, 2021 and followed it up with a supplementary charge sheet on January 31, 2022.
In April, 2023, the CBI arrested Vivekananda Reddy’s cousin YS Bhaskar Reddy, father of YSRCP MP from Kadapa, Avinash Reddy. The CBI claimed that both Avinash and Bhaskar Reddy conspired to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy because he was against fielding Avinash Reddy from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy to instead field his mother Vijayamma or sister Sharmila.
However, the father-son duo denied the allegation. Avinash Reddy was granted anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court on May 31, 2023.
Addressing an election rally in Kadapa District last week, Jagan Mohan Reddy had accused Opposition parties of a role in the murder and remarked that people should know who is behind the murder and who is shielding the culprits.
Jagan Mohan Reddy also stated that his sisters Sharmila and Sunitha are playing into the hands of his opponents.
The YSR family has been representing Kadapa Lok Sabha since 1989 when YSR was first elected from here. He retained the seats in 1991, 1996 and 1998.
When he moved to the Assembly his brother Vivekananda Reddy was elected from Kadapa as Congress candidate. Vivekananda Reddy retained the seat in 2004.
In 2009, Jagan Mohan Reddy made his electoral debut with a victory from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. After the death of his father and subsequent developments in ruling Congress, he floated YSR Congress Party and retained the Kadapa seat with a record majority in 2011.
In 2014, Jagan started focusing on Pulivendula Assembly seat, also a family stronghold and left Kadapa Lok Sabha seat for cousin Avinash Reddy.
The Congress on Tuesday announced its first list of five candidates for Lok Sabha and 114 candidates for Assembly elections. Simultaneous polls to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats are scheduled on May 13.
