Jagan’s family feud gives Chandrababu Naidu fresh ammo: ‘Kamsa mama, no family values’

Amid allegations of intimidation ahead of local body elections, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has found new ammunition to target the rival YSR Congress party – the ongoing feud within its first family. Days after Y S Sharmila accused her brother, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, of denying her family the use of family premises for her daughter’s wedding, Naidu has waded into the family row, calling the YSRCP chief “Kamsa Mama”, referring to the mythological Hindu king slain by Lord Krishna.

“Jagan lacks family and moral values. He has denied his sister Sharmila’s request to use the family compound for niece’s wedding,” Naidu said at a press briefing.

The remarks come days after Y S Sharmila, president of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), was denied the use of the family’s Bengaluru home, Yelahanka Palace, to host the wedding and reception of her daughter Anjili on November 25.

At the press briefing on Saturday, Naidu accused Jagan of mistreating his mother and sister over property disputes and denying them their rightful share in the family property.

“The public should understand how dangerous Jagan’s mindset could be for the state,” Naidu said, alleging that his overall approach was driven by destruction.

In a recent letter to her brother, Sharmila sought Jagan’s permission to use the family’s Bengaluru home, a request he denied, citing security concerns and privacy issues. According to sources in the family, Sharmila saw this as a slight.

“Sharmila considers herself to have a share in the Yelahanka property and thinks she was wrongly denied,” one source said.

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Jagan and his sister Sharmila have been involved in a property dispute since 2021, when they fell out and she moved to Hyderabad, later joining the Congress. She has since accused her brother of consolidating his grip on the family properties, including her father and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s Saraswati Power and Industries.

The family feud has flared up yet again just ahead of the local body polls in Andhra Pradesh, with the YSRCP and Naidu’s ruling Telugu Desam Party trading allegations of attacks and intimidation against their candidates while filing nominations.

On Saturday, Naidu reiterated those claims, accusing Jagan and the YSRCP of creating unrest in Punganur, Rayachoti, Kanigiri, Darsi, Kadapa, Thamballapalle and Tirupati, and of having “hired groups from Punjab”. He alleged that nomination papers were snatched at the Kanigiri nomination centre and the Jana Sena office was attacked in Thamballapalle. He also accused the YSRCP of “spreading false information through its own media to damage the state’s reputation”.

Allegations of intimidation have been a major issue in these elections. On October 19, while hearing a YSRCP petition, the Supreme Court asked the State Election Commission (SEC) to address the party’s complaints that its candidates were being prevented from filing nominations for the upcoming urban local body elections.

‘Personal attacks’

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In response to the allegations, the YSRCP reiterated allegations of attacks and intimidation ahead of the polls. It also accused the party of resorting to personal attacks to “divert attention away” from the alleged violence, and accused the ruling TDP of “undermining democracy”.

“By obstructing officials and orchestrating attacks, they prevented YSRCP candidates from filing nominations. They snatched and destroyed nomination papers, and applications were fraudulently rejected,” Sajja Ramakrishna Reddy, YSRCP state co-coordinator, told the media.

He went on to say: “The State Election Commission, which was supposed to monitor these events, merely acted like a postman. Chandrababu accuses YSRCP members of carrying out the attacks, but videos and evidence show who was responsible. If the YSRCP had carried out the attacks, wouldn’t our nominations be there at those centres? Instead of correcting the SEC’s mistakes, they are covering up their own errors.”