YSRCP Leader Vivekananda Reddy Dies in Mysterious Circumstances Sparking Political Row

Y S Vivekananda Reddy, former Andhra Pradesh Minister, died in mysterious circumstances sparking a political row between surging YSR Congress and the ruling Telegu Desam Party as the southern state is going to elect a new state government Lok Sabha Members .He was younger brother of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister M Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.He was Friday found dead in a pool of blood at his house in Kadapa district of the southern state. Police initially registered a case under Section 174 Cr P C (unnatural death) when the body of Reddy was found by his staff early in the morning. After a post-mortem in the local government hospital, police confirmed the case was altered to Section 302 IPC that relates to murder. Reddy, 68,is survived by his wife, daughter and his nephew Y S Jagan Mohan who is heading the state’s main opposition party YSRCP. Y S Sharmila is Jagan Mohan’s sibling .It may be recalled that MYSR Reddy, two—time CM, died in a copter crash in 2009 during UPA regime. The YSR Congress has demanded a CBI investigation into the mysterious death of Vivekananda Reddy saying it has no faith in the Andhra Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team  headed by CID Additional Director General of Police Amit Garg.This was the third unnatural death in the YS family that has a powerful political hold in Kadapa district. Father Y S Raja Reddy was murdered in 1998, the eldest son M Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was killed in a helicopter crash in 2009  at the age of 60 when he was  incumbent  CM .Vivekananda Reddy was a two-time MLA, two-time MP and a one-term MLC. He served as agriculture minister in the N Kiran Kumar Reddy government in united Andhra Pradesh. Police said injuries were found on the forehead, head and its back, besides on the hand and thigh.”We have gathered some clues related to the case. We are questioning the former minister’s household staff. Some fingerprints were also collected from the scene,” Kadapa District Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma said.

“We have taken the case seriously and are investigating it from all angles,” Sharma added. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu spoke with Director General of Police R P Thakur and other senior officials and asked them to conduct a thorough investigation into the former minister’s deaths and not spare the guilty, said an official communique.Naidu recalled Vivekananda’s services as a public representative and extended sympathies to the bereaved family.”He actively took part in election campaign in Jammalamadugu yesterday. He was hale and hearty.  His sudden death therefore gives rise to several suspicions. So we want a CBI investigation to bring out the facts,” YSRC spokesperson Vasireddy Padma demanded. State Animal Husbandry Minister C Adinarayana Reddy, who belongs to Jammalamadugu, took objection to YSRCs insinuation and said it has become a habit for the opposition to politicise everything.”I also want to know the facts behind such a nice person’s death. We too want an impartial inquiry, but YSRC leaders should stop mudslinging,” he told reporters here.YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy along with his mother Vijayamma rushed to Pulivendula from Hyderabad on hearing the news. Known to be a down-to-earth and genial person, Vivekananda was elected as MLA in 1989 and 1994 from his hometown Pulivendula in Kadapa district. He represented Kadapa constituency in The Lok Sabha in 1999 and 2004 and was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council in 2009.He reportedly had a differences of opinion with his nephew Y S Jaganmohan Reddy after the latter quit the Congress and established the YSR Congress, and chose to stay back with the parent party.

Vivekananda lost the by-election to his sister-in-law, Vijayamma in 2011.Subsequently, the family differences were sorted out and Vivekananda Reddy joined the YSRC. Two days ago, he was seen at the Lotus Pond residence of Jaganmohan Reddy in Hyderabad and on Thursday he campaigned for the YSRC in Kadapa district. He was reportedly alone at his residence in Pulivendula on Thursday night. TDP  has taken  objection to YSRCs insinuation and said it has become a habit for the opposition to politicise everything.”I also want to know the facts behind such a nice person’s death. We too want an impartial inquiry, but YSRC leaders should stop mudslinging,” he told reporters here.YSR Congress Party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and his mother Vijayamma rushed to Pulivendula from Hyderabad on hearing the news.Known to be a down-to-earth and genial person, Vivekananda was elected as MLA in 1989 and 1994 from his hometown Pulivendula in Kadapa district.He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kadapa constituency in 1999 and 2004 and to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council in 2009.He had a differences of opinion with his nephew Y S Jaganmohan Reddy after the latter quit the Congress and established the YSR Congress, and chose to stay back with the parent party. Vivekananda lost the by-election to his sister-in-law, Vijayamma in 2011.Subsequently, the family differences were sorted out and Vivekananda Reddy joined the YSRC. Two days ago, he was seen at the Lotus Pond residence of Jaganmohan Reddy in Hyderabad and on Thursday he campaigned for the YSRC in Kadapa district. He was reportedly alone at his residence in Pulivendula on Thursday night.”There was no response when I went to his house this morning. I called his wife in Hyderabad over phone and she asked me not to disturb him. Later, the cook and other household staff reached the house but they too did not get any response. I then went in through a side door and found Vivekananda’s body in the bathroom, with blood clots in the bedroom and the bathroom. There were several injuries on his body,” Vivekananda’s personal assistant M V Krishna Reddy said.The lodged a complaint with the police, based on which the FIR was registered.YSRC MP V Vijayasai Reddy expressed shock over the former minister’s death.”He was such a humble person who always engaged himself in public service. It is a huge loss to the YSRC and also the state,” the MP said in a message (with inputs from The Deccan Chronicle).