“This was not the first time, I spoke about the role of Chandrababu Naidu in the murder of Vangaveeti Moahana Ranga, in Vijayawada way back in 1988, in broad day light”, says octogenarian politician Chegondi Harirama Jogaiah. ” I spoke about it several time. It was Naidu who a gave go ahead for miscreants for the murder of Ranga . I said it before the public hundred times. Now it appears in my autobiography- ‘ Sixty years of my political Journey'” he said claiming he was no longer a politician.
After completing the full circle by joining all major political parties in state, Jogaiah has been relaxing in his home town Palakollu. Jogaiah in a way reopened the wound inflicted on Kapu community at a time when TDP was trying hard to woo the community into its fold. Similarly, the book was released at a crucial juncture, when BJP is struggling to get a toe hold in Andhra Pradesh by taking some castes such as Reddy’s from Rayalaseem and Kapus from Coastal Andhra. So, the release of ” Sixty years of my political Journey’ , and the presence of Purandeswari as chief guest at function held on Sunday in Palakollu are politically significant for watchers of Andhra Politics. The book created a commotion as Jogaiah unhesitatingly penned down his memoir.
One significant remark is that Naidu was responsible for the murder of Vangaveeit Mohana Ranga while NTR distanced from the conspiracy. Ranga’s murder sparked unprecedented Kamma-Kapu caste violence in the entire coastal Andhra region, leading to scores of deaths and destruction of properties worth billions of rupees. According to Jogaiah, who represented Narasapur Lok Sabha constituency between 2004 and 2009, Naidu, a TDP leader in 1988, gave a go ahead for the killing of Ranga, a strong Kapu leader.”After NT Ramarao came to power second time” Jogaiah said, “some TDP leaders approached NTR and asked his permission for the physical elimination of Ranga as the Kapu leader was posing a threat to their life and properties. They said it would be difficult for the TDP to survive as long as Ranga moves around. Chief minister NTR ,however, rejected their proposal saying he would not believe in politics of murder.”
“A TDP MLA from Vijayawada, trade union leader Prabhakara Raju and others approached Chandrababu Naidu and Upendra for guidance. They both encouraged them to go ahead with their plans to eliminate Ranga. Attili MLA Dandu Sivarama Raju shared this information with me. Ranga was killed brutally a week later,”he said. Talking to ‘telugu360.com’ over phone from Palkallu on Monday. Jogaiah said this was not the first time he revealed it. “I ran campaign of sorts against Chandrababu Naidu. Immediately after Ranga’s murder, I resigned from Palakollu Assembly seat in protest and joined ‘Seenaiah Sena’ of Nallapureddy Srinivasulu Reddy. We both toured many districts revealing the people behind the murder.”
The reference to Ranga’s murder was only one aspect of the book, he said adding that the book give many insights into Andhra politics in the past sixty years. “I talked of everybody and all political parties. I spoke of them without any rancor. now I am a political observer. Before 2014 elections, I quit the YSRC and left politics . Like any retired politician I wanted to pen down I what I saw and I was told,” he said and recalled that as mines minister he passed the orders for recovery of Rs 1 crore fine from YS Rajasekhar Reddy when Vijayabhaskar Reddy was CM. He family’s company was fined for stealing a granite monument worth hundreds of crores. This created a misunderstanding between YSR and me. But, after his death, following the failure of PRP, one day I received a call from YS Jagan. He asked me to join YSRCP . I Joined and had to quit soon for my own reasons,” Jogaiah said. Jagan has too many personal constraints to grow into a good leader. Jogaiah, however, was all praise of Pawan Kalyan ” Pawan was responsible for TDPs’ victory. He should better concentrate on politics rather than movies,” he said.