Hyderabad:
YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy's mother Vijay Lakshmi has begun campaigning from Srikakulam district for June 12 by-polls to 18 assembly seats from today, as the bail plea of the leader has been deferred by Andhra Pradesh High Court till tomorrow.
A team of the Enforcement Directorate has also reached Hyderabad to question Jagan Mohan Reddy, under the prevention of money-laundering act and for Foreign Exchange Regulation Act violations.
YS Vijayamma is the party's honorary chief; she gave up her fast in protest against her son's arrest on Sunday and took over the reins of the party. Jagan Mohan Reddy was sent to jail by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Sunday for 14 days. This means that he will be in jail till June 11, a day before polling is held for the 18 Assembly segments and one Lok Sabha seat and so will not be able to campaign.
Earlier Jagan Reddy's mother wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner to direct the CBI to release her son in the larger interest of democracy. She has pointed out in her letter that the CBI arrested Mr Reddy on Sunday, May 27, just 15 days before the by-polls. The YSR Congress contends that this is "part of a larger conspiracy" to keep him from campaigning for the by-elections. The YSR Congress has fielded candidates in all the constituencies that are up for grabs. Mr Reddy was drawing a powerful reaction on his tour of areas like Guntur.
"I am writing this letter with great hope that you would kindly intervene (in the matter)... CBI has arrested him (Jagan) on May 27, just 15 days before the by-elections... This is part of a larger conspiracy to deprive his participation in the elections with the sole objective of helping the ruling Congress candidates. They have waited for waited for 270-odd days; they can wait for another 15 days, particularly when there is no possibility whatsoever for tampering with evidence," Vijayamma said.
The by-elections are critical not just for the fledgling YSR Congress - made up largely of Congressmen who joined Jagan Reddy in his rebellious break-up with the party months after his father YSR Reddy's death in a helicopter crash in 2009. They are also important for the ruling Congress and the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP).