Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy

Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy (born 21 December 1972), also called Jagan is an Indian politician and the president of YSR Congress Party and Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly since June 2014. He is the son of the former Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.
He started his political career by campaigning for the Congress party in 2004 elections in Kadapa District, and in the 2009 elections he was elected as member of Parliament from Kadapa constituency as a member of the Indian National Congress. However, his political career took a new innings with the demise of his father, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ("YSR"). His relationship with the Indian National Congress (INC) continuously deteriorated after his father's death

Jaganmohan Reddy was born 21 December 1972 in Pulivendula village of Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh. He received his early education from Pulivendula and Hyderabad Public School. He founded the daily Telugu language newspaper Sakshi and the television channel Sakshi TV. He is the chief promoter of Bharathi Cements. Reddy is a Protestant Christian. He has a younger sister, Y. S. Sharmila, a politician.

Six months after his father's death, he began an odarpu yatra (condolence tour) as promised earlier to go and meet the families of those alleged to have either committed suicide or suffered ill health on the news of his father's death. The Congress party's central leadership directed him to call off his odarpu yatra, and order which he defied leading to a fallout between the high command and himself. He went ahead with the yatra, stating that it was a personal matter.

Jagan as a president of YSR Congress faced by-election from the Kadapa constituency and won by the huge margin of 545,043 votes.

On 29 November 2010, he resigned, after a fallout with the Congress party high command. He announced on 7 December 2010 from Pulivendula that he would be starting a new party within 45 days. In march, 2011, new party name is announced at Jaggampeta of east godavari district. . Later party went to by polls in YSR Kadapa district and won the seats with huge majority.

Opposition to the formation of Telangana

While in jail, Reddy started a hunger strike opposing the United Progressive Alliance's decision to endorse the creation of a separate Telangana state. After 125 hours of indefinite hunger strike, his sugar levels and blood pressure were down. He was moved to Osmania General Hospital for treatment. His mother, MLA Vijayamma, is also on hunger strike protesting the formation of Telangana out of AP. After his release, Reddy called for a 72-hour bandh protesting the formation of Telangana. Both Jagan and his mother have resigned from their legislatures opposing the

Telangana decision

Y.S.R. Reddy's election declaration of 2004 included tax returns showing Jagan's assets at Rs. 9.2 lakh, out of a total family assets of Rs. 50 lakhs. In April 2009, Jagan revealed total assets of Rs. 77 crores, and by 2011 this has allegedly increased to amount Rs. 365 crore.

In August 2011, the Andhra Pradesh High Court, based on preliminary report by the CBI, ordered a thorough probe. In addition to the CBI, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) have been probing the corruption charges, Later He was arrested and in jail for 16 months.

Arrest and 16 months in jail

Jagan Reddy was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation on embezzlement charges and his Judicial custody was extended repeatedly as the investigation proceeded.The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in rejecting bail, observed:

taking note of serious nature of the offence and having regard to personal and financial clout of the appellant and finding that it cannot be ruled out that witnesses cannot be influenced by him in case he is released on bail at this stage.

The Supreme Court also dismissed his petition in 4 July 2012, 9 August 2012, and on 13 May 2013.

Meanwhile, the CBI filed a further charge-sheet against him 17 September 2013. The new charge-sheet relate to the Sandur power and Lepakshi knowledge hub which were floated by Jagan in which the latter received huge investments on a quid pro quo arrangement while his father was chief minister (2004 to 2009). After the filing of this chargesheet, the court granted him bail on the grounds that most of the investigation in the case was completed.

Other Congress ministers arrested for issuing orders

In March 2012, the Supreme Court directed the CBI to extend their investigations to six ministers (Kanna Lakshminarayana, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Sabita Indra Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, J Geetha Reddy and Dharmana Prasada Rao), and eight senior bureaucrats, who were implicated in issuing 26 Government orders that helped the companies investing in Jagan's firms. Andhra Excise minister Mopidevi Venkataramana was arrested on 24 May 2012.

CBI also summoned BCCI chief Mr N Srinivasan on 7 June 2012.

As a sequel to allegations that CBI had selectively released information to the press to tarnish the image of Jaganmohan Reddy, the Central Vigilance Commissioner sought a report on the matter from the investigating agency.

Charges of political vendetta

The YSR Congress and Jagan's family have been alleging a political conspiracy behind Jagan's investigations. BJP has noted that CBI has been pursuing this case with greater vigour than that of government-aligned politicians with similar charges such as Sushil Kumar Shinde or Vilasrao Deshmukh.

On the other side, the CBI’s former joint director V V Laxminaryana has stated in court that he was being targeted by the YSRC leaders after Jagan's

arrest, and that he was receiving calls threatening his life.