Jagan Reddy's aunt slams him for clean chit to cousin in Vivekananda murder case

YS Sowbhagya, the wife of former MP Vivekananda Reddy who was killed in 2019, on Thursday hit out at his nephew and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for giving a 'clean chit' to YS Avinash Reddy after her husband's murder. Both Jagan Reddy and Avinash Reddy are Vivekananda's nephews.

Vivekananda Reddy, a former Kadapa MP and the younger brother of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, was murdered on March 15, 2019 in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Avinash Reddy's father was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the murder, and he was summoned by the agency.

In an open letter to Jagan Mohan Reddy, YS Sowbhagya slammed the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister over the 'character assassination' after her husband's death.

"If some people degenerate to the level of making fun of your sisters who are fighting for justice, blaming and even attacking them, don't you care?" she asked.

"Is it appropriate for you to protect those who are behind the murder, to make your party members talk in extreme form and unspeakably torture us?" she said.

Seeking justice in her husband's murder case, YS Sowbhagya said, "As the accused in the murder has filed a nomination, as a last resort, I am praying you to think of justice and righteousness."

She said since Jagan Mohan Reddy took oath as the Chief Minister "to govern without hatred", he should stand for justice and truth.

Earlier in the day, Jagan Mohan Reddy had given a 'clean chit' to his cousin and YSRCP's Kadapa Lok Sabha candidate YS Avinash Reddy in connection with the murder of Vivekananda Reddy.

At a public meeting in Pulivendula in Kadapa district prior to filing his nomination, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister asserted that the people of the district 'know who killed' his uncle Vivekananda Reddy.

"Avinash has done nothing wrong, and I strongly believe that, so I gave the ticket to him to contest the election," Jagan Mohan Reddy said. He said he sought to know if the questions being raised by Avinash Reddy in various interviews were reasonable or not.

Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged a conspiracy had been hatched to destroy the life of Avinash Reddy, and that his younger sisters YS Sharmila and Suneetha Narreddy were a part of it.

"Our younger sisters have become a part of the Opposition conspiracy. They are hanging around with those who unfairly defeated Chinnanna (Vivekananda) in the MLC election. People should be aware of the opposition’s conspiracy to gain political mileage," he said.

Lok Sabha polls and Assembly elections will be held simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh on May 13. Results are expected to be declared on June 4.

The state has 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly constituencies.

(with inputs from PTI)