Clearly anticipating his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) when he appears before the agency on Friday morning, YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy said his mother would spearhead his party's by-election campaign if he was taken into custody.
Speaking to The Hindu over telephone while on his way here from Macherla on Thursday to present himself before the CBI, Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said, “What's the big deal? I am not apprehensive about my campaign as my mother will lead it. I am only worried about the conspiracy hatched by the Congress, TDP leaders and others to get the by-elections postponed by triggering violence and blaming it on me.”
The Kadapa MP said he would be the biggest loser if the by-elections were postponed. He had, therefore, called upon his party cadre to maintain utmost restraint on Friday and to make this ‘injustice' known through the by-elections on June 12. “During my campaign, I emphasised the need to show what we are to the rest of the country by winning elections to all the 18 Assembly constituencies and the Nellore Lok Sabha seat.”
Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy said people were aware of what was happening and the by-elections were going to be a verdict against harassment. “People will vote for the YSR Congress even if I am arrested. We will be the biggest gainer in the election and the Congress and the TDP, the biggest losers.”
Asked to justify his theory that a conspiracy had been hatched by Congress leader Vayalar Ravi, TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu, the CBI and others, he said the turn of events earlier in the week had only proved it. Immediately after he released his letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, the CBI prepared notices to summon him and served it at 5 a.m. the following day.
