Andhra Pradesh minister Vivekananda Reddy on Thursday met his nephew Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in the backdrop of political differences between them, and said they were part of one family despite the conflict in loyalties. The minister met Jagan, who arrived in Hyderabad from Kadapa district on Thursday morning, at the latter's residence.
But as voters gear up for crucial assembly and parliamentary polls on May 13, all eyes are on the high-stakes battle in Pulivendula, an assembly constituency that has been a Reddy family stronghold for over four decades.
Vivekananda, the brother of late Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and uncle of Jagan Reddy, was found dead at his residence in Pulivendula, on the night of March 15, 2019, weeks before the state assembly elections.
Exigencies of electoral politics and individual ambitions often stoke family feuds and sibling rivalries.
After post-mortem in the local government hospital, police confirmed the case was altered to Section 302 Indian Penal Code that relates to murder.
Late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's brother and Member of Legislative Council Y S Vivekananda Reddy on Tuesday began an indefinite hunger strike in Hyderabad in support of a united state.
YS Vivekanand Reddy, uncle of YS Jaganmohan Reddy who resigned from the Congress on Monday in the wake of differences with the party high command, has joined the new cabinet in Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh will witness another son rise on the political horizon. Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, the only son of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is getting ready to take a plunge and contest the elections from the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, a family fiefdom for decades.
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's wife Vijayalakshmi filed her nomination, on Tuesday, for the bypoll to Pulivendula assembly seat previously held by her late husband. Vijayalakshmi filed the nomination as Congress candidate.
In what appears to be a setback for former Congress member of Parliament Jagan Mohan Reddy, his uncle Vivekananda Reddy on Tuesday made it clear that he will abide only by the Congress high command's orders. In a statement issued in Hyderabad, Reddy, brother of late Y S Rajashekhar Reddy, has dismissed the allegations made by his nephew that the Congress was trying to split the party.
Amid speculation that Congress will neutralise the Jagan camp by accomodating some of his loyalists in the new Andhra Pradesh cabinet, the rebel Kadapa MP may find the going tough. For the 38-year-old son of former Chief Minister Y S R Reddy, who has been aspiring to become the CM, the increasing isolation may push him into breaking away from Congress and forming a new party, political analysts feel.
''The fact that a huge crowd came when he had filed his nomination indicates his popularity,'' says Anjaneyulu of Pulivendla. ''He has cinema star-like glamour. As far as Cuddapah is considered, he is the king.''
Unidentified miscreants hurled a stone at the Chief Minister on Saturday night near Vivekananda School Centre in Vijayawada's Singh Nagar, which injured his left temple when he was canvassing for polls.
With declared assets worth over Rs 600 crore, Chennur Congress candidate G Vivekananda is the richest politician contesting in the November 30 assembly polls, followed by P Srinivas Reddy from the same party with over Rs 460 crore.
He said the CID team of lawyers have opposed both the bail petitions on the grounds of maintainability and made submissions on the merits of the matter.
The Vishwaguru who addressed the maximum rallies and boasted of being blessed with divine energy, who promised guarantees in his own name, turned out finally not invincible, points out Jyoti Punwani.
Political parties and the journalists unions which kept quiet over the arrest of two reporters in connection with the report on the Director General of Police V dinesh Reddy's visit to a godman in the old city of Hyderabad have swung into action after the police booked cases against the editor and resident editor of The Hindu newspaper.
With some variations, all regional political formations, whether in power presently or out of it, share some common features: Tight family control of the political apparatus, key members in elected or appointed positions, obvious wealth but not quite known sources of income, and family factionalism, sometimes open and bitter, notes Shreekant Sambrani.
Ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam MLAs came to near blows inside the Andhra Pradesh assembly on Monday after Agriculture Minister Y S Vivekananda heckled two TDP MLAs as they held a placard that denigrated supporters of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
According to state government sources, not only did the governor insert some corrections, but he also initialled the final draft after those corrections had been made, reveals N Sathiya Moorthy.
There are fathers, sons, nephews, daughters and brothers contesting the elections in Telangana this time, which makes it an interesting battle, says Vicky Nanjappa
The IVRCL termed the project the toughest undertaken by KMDA.
Says it followed all quality standards, probe needed on causes; top management remains unavailable
'The BJP will take time to come to power in Andhra.'
Former India player and Haryana captain Ajay Jadeja made a fine comeback to domestic cricket after six years as he led his side to a 62-run win over Hyderabad at the Buchi Baby cricket tournament in Chennai, on Friday.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Thursday admitted to a naturopathy institute on the outskirts of Bengaluru for a 10-day nature cure regimen for treatment of his persistent chronic cough problem and uncontrolled sugar level.
By removing Avinash Chander last week, the government has chosen to sacrifice the organisation's most potent symbol of success
'For the last 10 years the Congress made the RSS an idea of intolerance, anti-minority, especially anti-Muslim, and an idea of fascism.' 'That has been demolished now by Pranab Mukherjee.'