Hyderabad: Union Minister and Congress high command`s emissary to Andhra Pradesh Vayalar Ravi on Monday said the June 12 by-elections to 18 Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency were not a referendum on the state government.

"You cannot treat these (by-elections) as a referendum. The bypolls were caused as some legislators defied the party, which gave them their political life. We are explaining this to the people," Ravi told newsmen here today. The high command`s envoy returned to Hyderabad this morning to oversee the party`s campaign for bypolls.

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Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy hosted lunch for the Union Minister and discussed the party position in different constituencies.
Ravi said everyone knew why Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy quit Congress and floated his own YSR Congress party. "Along with him, some Congress cadre too left the party," he added. The by-elections would see a triangular contest between Congress, TDP and YSR Congress, he said. Replying to questions, Ravi said he had no information about the possible questioning of some state ministers by the CBI in connection with the disproportionate assets case against Jagan. "The ministers may be questioned but that will not cause any problem to the government. The CBI investigation is going on as per the court directives," the Union Minister pointed out.

On Telangana, Ravi said the issue was under the consideration of the Union government. Ravi will camp in Hyderabad to discuss the bypoll strategy with senior leaders and also visit some constituencies with Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana for campaigning, party sources said.
PTI