Kiran doubts Jagans mental faculties

HYDERABAD:  / TIRUPATI : Jagan Mohan Reddy’s allegation that the state’s top functionaries have all ganged up to have the byelections postponed triggered stinging ripostes from the chief minister down, with Kiran Kumar Reddy certifying that the YSR Congress chief has “lost his mental balance.”Several Congress leaders including PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana joined in the ridicule, and even AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, campaigning in Prathipadu constituency, added his voice to it.Predicting his own arrest, Jagan had said Tuesday that the chief minister, TDP president Chandrababu Naidu, DGP Dinesh Reddy, CBI joint director V V Lakshminarayana and AICC emissary Vayalar Ravi met secretly this week to shape events so that the byelections would have to be postponed. Reacting to this conspiracy theory in Tirupati Wednesday, Kiran Kumar Reddy doubted Jagan’s mental balance and said, “How can the bypolls be postponed when the notification has already been issued by the Election Commission?’’ Kiran Reddy was addressing a gathering at the house of former Tirupati municipal chairman K Shankar Reddy who joined the Congress on Wednesday.In Hyderabad, PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana too came down heavily on the YSRC chief. Jagan’s warning that the state would burn if he was arrested was in fact a threat and his party members are now setting the stage for such events so that the blame would go to the state government, he said. However, Botcha said, the Congress was equal to that challenge. “The Congress has seen several infernos so far.”The PCC chief added that as the CBI’s investigation has progressed, the real face of Jagan was emerging, especially his ties to criminals and anti-social elements.AICC gen sec Oscar Fernandes joined in the barb fest as he campaigned for the Congress candidate in Prathipadu, Guntur district. Taking exception to Jagan’s charge that the CBI investigation was being supervised by the Congress, Fernandes said neither the party nor the government had anything to do with the probe, which was being carried out as per the directions of the court.Deputy chief minister Damodara was among the others who reacted in righteous indignation, reminding one and all how Jagan carried out a signature campaign among MLA even as the mortal remains of his father lay on the bier.Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal and senior leader were the others who resorted to colourful language to deride Jagan’s allegations.