Tourism Minister Vatti Vasanth Kumar on Tuesday stated that YSR Congress party president Jagan Mohan Reddy was himself responsible for figuring of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s name in the First Information Report of the Central Bureau of Investigation case against him.
Talking to media persons at Congress Legislature Party office, Vatti Vasanth Kumar alleged that instead of clearing his father's name from the FIR, Jagan was trying to draw political mileage out of YSR’s name. He appealed to Jagan to cooperate with CBI and come clean from the allegations. Earlier the minister had a meeting with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at Camp's office. ,
The Minister said though Congress MLAs have extended cooperation to Jagan’s Oadrpu yatra, but Jagan has started targeting state government on the implementation of YSR schemes.
Responding to the allegations of pro-Jagan Congress MLAs who suspected YSR's death in a helicopter crash in September 2009, he asked why Jagan Mohan Reddy did not raise the issue in Parliament. He said first Jagan must clarify on this issue. He said three committees appointed by government clearly stated that YSR helicopter crashed due to bad weather. Jagan was still trying to gain political mileage out of YSR's death, he said.
Vatti Vasanth Kumar said the CBI was probing on Income Tax returns submitted by Jagati publications in 2009 as the figures were not tallying. If his father was alive, he too would have definitely ordered CBI probe against Jagan, he said.
Responding to MLAs submitting resignations, he expressed confidence that the legislators would reconsider their decision and join the party. He said he was welcome to the idea of a CBI probe against ministers who were part of YSR's cabinet.
Ministers Raghuveera Reddy, Maheedher Reddy, Kasu Krishna Reddy, MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar and MLC Rudraraju Padma Raju were also present in the press conference.