YSR Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday filed his nomination papers for the Kadapa Lok Sabha Constituency with the Returning Officer in Kadapa district.
Mr Jaganmohan Reddy, who is fighting to retain the seat he once held before he resigned from both the Congress and the Lok Sabha, arrived at the Returning Officer’s office in a massive procession which started from YSR Ghat in Idupulapaya. He had earlier paid tributes to his father and former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy before starting to file his nomination papers.
He was accompanied by MLAs Konda Surekha, Karunakakar Reddy and actress-turned-politician Roja.
Mr Jaganmohan Reddy also declared that he holds assets worth Rs 365 crore. Incidentally, in 2009, he had declared his assets as Rs 77.40 crore while his assets in 2004 were Rs 9.18 lakh.
Speaking to media persons, Konda Surekha stated that the people of the constituency would give a fitting reply to both Congress and Telugu Desam Party in the by-elections.
Ms Surekha, one of the staunchest supports of the YSR Congress Party chief, further said that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas were on tenterhooks due to the fear of losing heavily in the by-elections. “This fear is forcing them to issue diktat after diktat to Congress cadre who support Mr Jaganmohan Reddy. They are threatening these activists of dire consequences if they continue to support him,” she alleged.
Former actress Roja stated that Mr Jaganmohan Reddy had launched the YSR Congress Party only to effectively implement the schemes launched by his father and former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. “He is not after any posts,” she stated.
Ms Roja further added that the Chief Minister had rewarded the critics of Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy with posts.
“The Congress knows that it will lose in the elections and is fighting for its survival in Kadapa. It is trying to cling on to the good name of Dr YSR and is claiming rights over the use of the late leader’s photograph for campaigning,” she said.
Meanwhile Mr Jaganmohan Reddy’s mother and former MLA YS Vijayalakshmi would file her nomination papers for the Pulivendula Assembly seat on April 16.