Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President, YS Sharmila Reddy on Saturday paid tributes to her uncle and former Minister, YS Vivekananda Reddy, at his grave at Pulivendula in Kadapa District, before resuming her campaigning.
She along with Vivekananda Reddy’s daughter Sunitha Reddy laid a wreath and spent a few moments at the grave.
Vivekananda Reddy was murdered by unknown persons at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019, a few weeks before the elections.
The sensational murder case is currently the main issue in the elections to Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency.
Blaming sitting Kadapa MP and YSR Congress Party candidate, YS Avinash Reddy for the killing, YS Sharmila Reddy has entered the fray as a Congress candidate.
She is also accusing her brother and Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, of shielding the murder accused and targeting him for fielding him again from Kadapa.
YS Sharmila Reddy, who claims that she is contesting to fulfil the last wish of her uncle, has called on the people not to send a ‘killer’ to the legislature and also vote against Jagan Mohan Reddy for ‘encouraging politics of murder’.
After paying tributes to Vivekananda Reddy, YS Sharmila Reddy resumed her campaign.
Addressing a public meeting in the Jammalamadugu Assembly segment, she slammed YSRCP for trying to disrupt her campaign. She alleged that fear of defeat has gripped YSRCP and Avinash Reddy.
YS Sharmila Reddy also claimed that there were reports that Jagan Mohan Reddy may change the candidate for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat.
“By changing the candidate, are you admitting what the CBI has said,” she asked her brother.
She also asked if YSRCP was contemplating changing the candidate due to fear of defeat.
The Congress leader mentioned that the CBI has named Avinash Reddy and his father YS Bhaskar Reddy as the accused in the murder case.
The CBI had claimed that both Avinash and Bhaskar Reddy conspired to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy because he was against fielding Avinash Reddy from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy to instead field his mother Vijayamma or sister YS Sharmila Reddy. However, the father-son duo denied the allegation.
YS Sharmila Reddy appealed to the people to decide whether they want to elect YSR’s daughter or killer.
Sunitha, who is fighting for justice in the case, urged people to support YS Sharmila Reddy in this fight for truth. She said the voters should stand by those fighting for justice.