The Parliament’s 18-day session is beginning today amid continuing Coronavrius threat, reduced revenue all over the country and bigger financial crisis. AP Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has held deliberations with his party MPs to chalk out his party’s agenda on issues to be raised in the Parliament. Specific demands from the YSRCP would be to seek greater GST funds to tide over financial problems and also the long-standing special status promise.

YCP Floor Leader in Lok Sabha Mithun Reddy and other MPs took part in the later online discussions held with the Chief Minister. Andhra Pradesh has been struggling for reduced revenue within the State due to Coronavirus lockdowns and also decreased funds from the Centre. It has been decided to seek greater assistance from the Centre on funds under various developmental programmes at the national level. At the same time, AP Government has been facing funds crisis in respect of the Polavaram lifeline irrigation project of the State.

Already, CM Jagan Reddy has said repeatedly that regardless of the reactions from the Centre, the State Government would continue to plead for the Special Category Status at every given opportunity. Once again, the YSRCP MPs have discussed this. If there is a chance, the subject will come up once again.
There has been a rising demand from the Opposition parties on the YSRCP Government to use its MPs strength to bring pressure on the Centre and get Special Category Status so that most of the problems of the unjustly divided AP would be solved.

YCP’s Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh has contracted Coronavirus infection and he has been undergoing home isolation. He is the second minister from Prakasam district to become an infection patient. Already, Balineni Srinivasulu Reddy fell sick with the virus and he recovered fully later. The latest test was conducted on Suresh also following symptoms of the virus. At the advice of the doctors, the Minister preferred to take treatment while staying at home.

Only yesterday, YSRCP Narasaraopeta MLA tested positive and preferred home quarantine. With the continuing rise in infections, the ruling party leaders and activists are falling victim because of their need for regular interaction with the people.

As Minister Suresh got the infection now, the officials were identifying all those who came in contact with the Minister in the past few weeks. In the beginning of the epidemic also, there were reports that the Minister frequently travelled between Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad. His family members were still staying in Telangana Capital.

The list of the YSRCP Ministers, MPs and MLAs so far infected are as follows:

1. MP Vijayasai Reddy
2. Deputy Chief Minister Amjad Bhasha
3. Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy
4. Minister Adimulapu Suresh (Yerragondapalem)
5. MLA Ambati Rambabu (Sattenapalli)
6. Gopireddy Srinivasa Reddy
7. MLA Kadubandi Srinivasulu (S Kota)
8. MLA Kilari Rosaiah (Ponnur)
9. MLA Kiliveti Sanjeevaiah (Sullurupeta)
10. MLA Silpa Chakrapani Reddy (Srisailam)
11. Deputy Speaker Kona Raghupati (Bapatla)
12. Biyyapu Madhusudhan Reddy (Srikalahasti)
13. MLA Anna Rambabu (Giddaluru)
14. MLA Karanam Balaram (Chirala, ex TDP)

After former minister and TDP deputy floor leader in the state Assembly K Atchannaidu, Ayanna Patrudu and a host of other TDP leaders, the YSRCP government is now targeting the family of Guntur strongman Rayapati Sambasiva Rao.

In the politics of vendetta, the Jagan government turned its guns on Rayapati Mamatha, daughter-in-law of Rayapati Sambasiva Rao. Her only fault is she is the chief operating officer of Ramesh Hospitals which was recently in news for the fire mishap in Swarna Palace that has left at least 10 Covid-19 patients dead and 18 seriously injured. Ramesh Hospitals was using the Swarna Palace hotel as a COVID Care Centre.

The Vijayawada police on Friday served notices to Rayapati Mamatha to appear for questioning on the Swarna Palace for the fire accident. It is learnt that Rayapati Mamatha, a medical doctor, was recently tested positive for Covid-19 and is in home isolation. Despite this, the police summoned Rayapati Mamatha for questioning.

Sambasiva Rao is a four time TDP MP. He was elected to 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th Lok Sabha. Currently, Sambasiva Rao
is facing CBI probe pertaining to Rayapati’s company Transtroy over defaulting on bank loans.

Rayapati Mamatha will appear before the Vijayawada police. The notices to Rayapati Mamatha is seen as another classic case of vindictive politics unleashed the Jagan government to arm twist the TDP leaders and family members. This comes at a time even as the top management of the hospital, including the founder and Managing Director (MD) of Ramesh Hospitals Dr Ramesh Babu, are absconding and untraceable.

Lasr week, a four-member team was formed to nab the managing director of the hospital, but to no avail. Since the MD of the hospital and other top management officials are on the run, Rayapati Mamatha became an easy and a new target for the YSRCP government to further its politics of vendetta.

YSRCP Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy tested positive for Coronavirus and got admitted to the Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad. He underwent tests as his fever did not go down for over a week. Though the first report showed his case as negative, the doctors conducted test again because of his continuing fever. He eventually tested Covid positive. Already, MP Vijayasai Reddy was taking Covid treatment at Hyderabad Apollo. All his engagements in Visakhapatnam have been cancelled ever since. His office in the port city was also closed down for the time being.

Along with Minister Balineni Reddy, many other leaders from Prakasam district were down with the virus. Senior MLA Karanam Balarama Krishna Murthy tested positive and was admitted to a private hospital in Hyderabad. His family members also got virus infection but they were in home quarantine. Another YSRCP MLA along with his wife was also infected. They were receiving treatment in a private hospital in Ongole town.

The ruling party MLAs and people’s representatives were getting affected because of their continued public appearances in rallies, meetings and campaign for local body polls. With top leaders and MLAs testing positive, this has created concerns among the people. The doctors and medical staff were already under higher threat. The political leaders were also coming under greater threat these days. The authorities were appealing for avoiding crowd-based activities, group meetings and strictly observe physical distancing at any cost.

For a second time, the Central Bureau of Investigation is questioning Sunita, daughter YS Vivekananda Reddy. The CBI officials are conducting their probe from Kadapa district headquarters. They are asking Sunita some more questions at Kadapa Central Jail guest house. Her charges gained significance in the murder in view of the disappearance of evidence from the crime scene. Viveka’s death was first described as due to a heart attack in the Sakshi media. But, the version was changed to a murder plot following the police investigation.

As Viveka was a former MP and brother of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy, the case assumed greater significance. After the YSRCP came to power, the AP government did not make much progress in the case. Several special investigation teams have been formed but there has been no clue to the actual persons responsible for the murder. The assailants murdered Viveka in his own house in a gruesome manner. Later, the body was given bandages. The evidence at the scene was tampered with. Sunita has charged some top persons with resorting to this murder and demanded a CBI inquriy into it.

The Viveka murder case is creating a political storm once again as the CBI enquiry is gaging speed. There are also reports that the CBI officials are going to question YSRCP Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy sooner or later.