AP CM, Jagan spar after YSRC boycotts condolence motion on MLA's death

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Opposition leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy today hit out each other after the boycott of the YSRC party members during the obituary reference of a sitting member in the State Assembly.

Both blamed each other for causing the death of 53-year-old sitting MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy, who got elected on YSR Congress ticket in 2014 and later crossed over to the Telugu Desam Party in 2016.

Bhuma, who represented Nandyal Assembly constituency in Kurnool district, died of a massive heart attack on Sunday.

He served as an MLA between 1992 and 1996 and became a member of Lok Sabha in 1996, 1998 and 1999. He lost the 2009 elections from Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency as the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party candidate.

Chandrababu and Jagan spoke separately with reporters in the Assembly lobbies even as the House was adjourned for the day after passing a condolence resolution.

"Chandrababu lured Bhuma into the TDP by promising to make him a minister within three days (in February 2016). But that promise was not kept even after a year, pushing Bhuma into a depression," Jagan alleged.

"Technically, the Nandyal Assembly seat belongs to us (YSRC), so we will field a candidate in the by-election. As per tradition, it is for the other party not to field a candidate," the Opposition leader pointed out.

He also accused the Chief Minister of bringing Bhuma's daughter-MLA Akhila Priya to the House barely 24 hours after his death.

"It exposes the ill-cultured nature of Chandrababu," Jagan said.

"I would have had to speak some facts had I gone to the House and spoke on the condolence motion. It?s only to protect the departed leader?s dignity that our party chose not to attend the House," the YSRC chief clarified.

Hitting back at Jagan, Chandrababu said it was Jagan who approached the Governor against making Bhuma a minister.

"Was it not Jagan who pushed Bhuma into depression? Jagan did not even show humanity to condole the MLA’s death," the Chief Minister said.

He also rebutted the allegation that he forced Akhila Priya to attend the House today.

"She came on her own as she felt the responsibility to be in the House when a condolence motion on her father is taken up. She announced that she will carry forward Bhuma?s ideals," Chandrababu said.