Hyderabad: Politics in Andhra Pradesh hotted up today over the arrest of YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy in a disproportionate assets case with his family alleging vendetta by Sonia Gandhi, a charge the Congress has strongly denied.
In the wake of his arrest, YSR Congress decided to field Y S Vijaya, the widow of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, as the main campaigner in the crucial June 12 bye- elections to 17 assembly constituencies and a Lok Sabha seat in the state.
39-year-old Jagan was remanded to 14 days judicial custody by a CBI court following which his mother broke her fast to lead the party's campaign.
As the YSR Congress launched a high-pithced attack, the Congress and state Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy rejected the charges saying his arrest was part of the legal process and the party and the government have nothing to do with it.
The YSR Congress gave a state-wide bandh call to protest against the arrest, which evoked a mixed response, and its central governing council urged Vijaya to call off the fast to undertake the election campaign.
Joining her mother in the fast, Sharmila, sister of Jagan, attacked Congress President Sonia Gandhi saying it was because of her he was in jail.
"They (Congress) must be rejoicing. This is vendetta from Congress. As long as our father was there, they were with him. But because Jagan defied them, there is clear vendetta. Is this fair. This is injustice," Sharmila said adding they hoped to get justice from God.
PTI
First Published: Monday, May 28, 2012, 20:56