If a separate Telangana state is carved out of Andhra Pradesh, YSR Congress party will contest the elections in both the states, party’s honorary president Y. S. Vijayamma said Friday. She, however, believes that assembly and Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year will be held in undivided Andhra Pradesh and is confident of her party bagging 225 assembly seats in 294-member house and 33 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats.
Alleging that the talks of division of the state and of Rayala-Telangana (comprising Rayalaseema and Telangana regions) are aimed at targeting her son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, she claimed he would gain in both the states.
Vijayamma was talking to a select group of media persons here Friday.
The widow of late chief minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy also claimed that by winning 33 Lok Sabha seats, YSRCP would play a key role at the centre. Asked which political formation her party would support at the centre, Vijayamma said this would depend on the post-poll scenario. “We will take a decision depending on the situation and keeping in view the state’s interests and people’s aspirations,” she said.
While reiterating her allegations that the Jagan is a victim of vindictive politics by the Congress, she did not rule out post-poll truck with it. “We will see what kind of situation emerges. There is no need to think about it now. There is no urgency,” she said. She, however, ruled out pre-poll alliance with any party, saying YSRCP would go alone even in Telangana. On the issue of Telangana, she said her party was not in a position to promise or deliver a separate state but reiterated that sentiments of people of all regions should be respected.
Jagan, who is in jail since May last year in alleged illegal assets case, comes from Rayalaseema region. Vijayamma said even if the elections are advanced, this would benefit YSRCP. She was confident that Jagan would come out on bail.
“He will come. How long they will keep him behind bars. The four-month time given by the Supreme Court (to CBI to complete the probe) is ending on Sep 9. I have full faith in God, who is all powerful.”
Vijayamma claimed that people were waiting to vote for YSRCP.
“They have decided to vote for him. They have confidence that he will continue the good work taken up by YSR. When I go on tours, people want to know when he will come out. He had developed a good rapport with the people by taking up their problems,” she said.
Asked if Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tried to extend hand of friendship by stating that Jagan has Congress DNA, she shot back: “If that is so, why have they named YSR as an accused (in Jagan case)”. She pointed out that Jagan completed 13 months in jail and he was even denied bail. “The CBI is not following any rule. It is deliberately delaying the probe to keep him in jail. Is it proper to do politics by keeping him behind bars,” asked Vijayamma. She said though 24 months had passed (since CBI started the probe into Jagan’s alleged illegal assets), the CBI failed to prove any charge.
On Digvijaya Singh’s remark that Jagan mixed business with politics, she wanted to know if a politician can’t do business. “Mualayam Singh’s son and (Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law) Robert Vadra have said they can do business while continuing in politics.”
Jagan’s mother said when YSR was the chief minister, Jagan was neither a MP nor a legislator. “He had nothing to do with the decisions taken by the government. She said that the ministers (facing allegations in Jagan case) themselves have said in the Supreme Court that the 26 government orders were issued as per the decision taken by the cabinet and in accordance with the rules. The chief minister has also said this in assembly, she added. “How is Jagan concerned with these orders,” she asked while alleging that the case against Jagan was planned one.
