Senior YSR Congress party leader and former minister Botsa Satyanarayana turned emotional while speaking reporters, recalling the legacy of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and the circumstances surrounding his death.
Botsa broke down in front of the media, while reacting to wild allegations made by Andhra Pradesh minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, who had questioned Jagan’s conduct during the period following YSR’s death in 2009 and accused YSRCP leaders of politicising the late leader’s legacy.
The senior leader accused Atchannaidu of resorting to “debased politics” and said the minister was making inflammatory and false remarks solely for political gain.
He alleged that Atchannaidu had stooped to an unacceptable level by dragging the death of YSR into contemporary political battles and by attempting to tarnish Jagan’s image.
He described YSR as one of the personalities “the country can be proud of” and questioned the timing and intent behind the attacks being made against him and his family.
Botsa also strongly denied allegations that he had ever linked Jagan to YSR’s death.
He said false propaganda was being spread in his name and accused the ruling camp of deliberately distorting facts.
Earlier, Atchannaidu publicly questioned Jagan’s role and conduct in the aftermath of YSR’s death in a helicopter crash in September 2009.
He asked where Jagan was when his father’s whereabouts were unknown and whether it was not true that efforts were made to collect signatures in support of Jagan for the chief minister’s post even before the full facts of the tragedy had emerged.
He also accused Jagan of exploiting his father’s death for political gain and went further by referring to old allegations and conspiracy-laden political claims that have periodically surfaced in Andhra politics over the years.
Atchannaidu alleged that after YSR’s death, attacks had taken place on Reliance agencies and claimed that the same corporate group was later politically accommodated by being rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat.
He further said several senior leaders had, at different points, raised suspicions over the circumstances surrounding YSR’s death and Jagan’s subsequent political conduct.
Responding directly to Atchannaidu’s allegations, Botsa offered a personal account of the events following YSR’s death and sought to set the record straight.
He said the signature campaign that was undertaken after YSR’s death had no connection with any immediate bid for the chief minister’s post, rejecting the narrative put forward by TDP leaders.
He said he shared an inseparable bond with YSR and warned political opponents not to drag the late leader’s memory into what he called cheap power politics.
“If you have courage, do justice to the people. Atchannaidu, you are speaking blatant lies for political positions,” Botsa said.
Botsa categorically stated that Jagan was present there when YSR died, directly rebutting the insinuation that he was absent or politically maneuvering during that period.
“When Rajasekhara Reddy died, Jagan was right there. I and my wife brought Jagan from the camp office. Fight Jagan politically if you want. But why are you dragging the deceased YSR into politics?” he said.