Published 20:07 IST, March 16th 2019
"Chandrababu Naidu behind all this": Jagan Mohan Reddy makes a serious allegation about his uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy's death
Jagan Mohan Reddy has alleged that Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu was responsible for the death of his uncle, YS Vivekananda Reddy.
Jagan Mohan Reddy has alleged that Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu was responsible for the death of his uncle, YS Vivekananda Reddy.
Jagan Mohan Reddy accused Naidu of killing his uncle for electoral purpose and an intent to 'demoralise' him and his party.
He said, "Chandrababu Naidu is behind all. He did all this to affect and win the elections. Let there be a CBI enquiry, everything will come out. Their intent could be to demoralise me and my party."
"When my grandfather YS Raja Reddy was murdered, TDP was in power, when there was an attempt on my life at Vizag airport, TDP was in power and when this murder happened, TDP was again in power," he also told reporters after paying tributes to his uncle.
YS Vivekananda Reddy, former minister and younger brother of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, was found dead on Friday at his residence in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, with family members alleging that the death was not natural.
Vivekananda Reddy's personal assistant M V Krishna Reddy has lodged a complaint with Pulivendula police expressing doubts over the nature of the death as blood clots were found in the bedroom and the bathroom
The 68-year old leader is survived by his wife and a daughter.
Vivekananda Reddy's nephew and former lawmaker Y S Avinash Reddy alleged that it was not a natural death and sought a thorough investigation.
Initially, Police registered a case under Section 174 Cr P C (unnatural death) when Reddy’s body was found by his staff early in the morning.
"There were two injuries on his head, one each on the front and the back. So, a thorough probe is required to establish the cause of death. There could possibly be a conspiracy angle as well that needs to be probed," Avinash Reddy said in Pulivendula.
YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and his mother Vijayamma rushed to Pulivendula from Hyderabad on hearing the news.
Two days ago, he was seen at the Lotus Pond residence of Jagan in Hyderabad and on Thursday, Viveka, as he was known by, campaigned for the YSRC in Pulivendula constituency.
He was alone at his residence in Pulivendula on Thursday night.
"There was no response when I went to his house this morning. I called his wife in Hyderabad over phone and she asked me not to disturb him. Later, the cook and other household staff reached the house but they too did not get any response. I then went in through a side door and found Vivekananda's body in the bathroom, with blood clots in the bedroom and the bathroom," Krishna Reddy said.
YSRC leader V Vijayasai Reddy expressed shock over the former minister's death. "He was such a humble person who always engaged himself in public service. It is a huge loss to the YSRC and also the state," the leader said in a message.
He had a difference in opinions with his nephew, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, after the latter quit the Congress and established the YSR Congress, and chose to stay back in the parent party.
Known as a down-to-earth and genial person, Vivekananda was elected as lawmaker in 1989 and 1994 from his hometown Pulivendula in Kadapa district.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Kadapa constituency in 1999 and 2004 and to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council in 2009.
He had served as the agriculture minister under N Kiran Kumar Reddy in the then united Andhra Pradesh.
(With PTI inputs)
Updated 20:20 IST, March 16th 2019