Y.S. Sharmila slams Vijaya Sai Reddy over his “hand-in-glove with Naidu” jibe

APCC president Y. S. Sharmila refutes YSRCP's allegations, defends Congress legacy, and denies collusion with TDP chief Naidu.

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y. S. Sharmila on October 27 (Sunday) slammed YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) veteran V. Vijaya Sai Reddy after he accused her of being “hand in glove with TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu” in the ongoing property feud between her and her brother Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Taking strong exception to Mr. Vijaya Sai Reddy blaming the Congress party for the death of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, she asserted that YSR was an asset for the Congress, as he brought the party to power in Andhra Pradesh twice in a row. “Why would someone kill the goose that lays the golden egg?” she asked.

Referring to his allegation that even Mr. Naidu was responsible for YSR’s death, she said that had the YSR Congress Party really believed so, it should have ordered a comprehensive probe during its five-year rule in the State to bring the facts to light.

She reiterated that it was Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy who had YSR’s name added to the CBI chargesheet in a scam case after the latter’s death.

In 2012, the CBI, under the Manmohan Singh government, had named YSR in a chargesheet before a special court, reportedly charging the late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister with entering into a criminal conspiracy to allot land to two pharma firms in a quid pro quo arrangement for investing in Mr. Jagan’s businesses. Later that year in May, Mr. Jagan was arrested by the central probe agency and was lodged in a Hyderabad jail for 16 months till his release on bail in September 2013.

Mr. Jagan has been blaming the Congress party for adding his late father’s name to the CBI chargesheet and his sister Ms. Sharmila for “joining hands with a party which was out to destroy YSR’s legacy”.

Ms. Sharmila alleged Mr. Jagan was behind the inclusion of their late father’s name in the chargesheet using the services of Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy, for which he was rewarded with the post of the Additional Advocate General in Mr. Jagan’s government.