Hyderabad: A day after the arrest of a cabinet minister, the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh received another jolt with a state legislator switching loyalty to YSR Congress Party leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and some more legislators were reportedly in touch with him. Daring the Congress leadership, state legislator Alla Nani and MP Sabbam Hari accompanied Jagan on Friday when the latter drove to the CBI camp office for questioning in the illegal assets case.
Amid speculation that he would be arrested, Jagan received a shot in the arm with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former MP M. V. Mysoora Reddy joining the YSR Congress Party. Some more legislators of the Congress are reportedly in touch with Jagan. The young leader is believed to have set June 12 as the deadline for fence-sitters to join his camp.
By-elections to the Nellore Lok Sabha and 18 assembly seats are scheduled on June 12. The polling was necessitated due to the resignation of one MP and disqualification of 17 Congress legislators loyal to Jagan. As many as 26 Congress legislators loyal to Jagan had submitted their resignations in August last year to protest against the naming of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the CBI's FIR in the illegal assets case. Some of these legislators later returned to the Congress fold.
State Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayana has warned that the party would take action against those supporting Jagan. The state unit of the party has urged the central leadership to take stern action against Hari and is also planning to issue a showcause notice to Nani. Satyanarayana alleged that Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramna was suffering due to the corrupt activities of Jagan. He, however, claimed Venkataramna was innocent and would come out clean.
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday called on the family members of Venkataramna to boost their morale. The CBI arrested Venkataramna on Thursday and a court later remanded him to judicial custody till June 7. He later sent his resignation to the chief minister.
The Congress is also worried over the possibility of the CBI arresting more ministers for issuing controversial government orders, benefiting certain companies which invested in Jagan's firms. The role of at least five ministers is under the CBI scanner.
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