In a further setback to the beleaguered Congress party, the Andhra Pradesh high court on Tuesday set aside the election of Janardhan Thatraj, Congress MLA from Kurupam in Vizianagaram district on the ground that he was not a real tribal.

Janardhan, who happens to be nephew of environment minister S Vijayarama Raju, won the reserved Kurupam seat in 2009, defeating Telugu Desam Party candidate N Jayaraj. However, the local Adivasi Vikas Parishad protested against the candidature of Janardhan, as they alleged that he was not a tribal.

Jayaraj later moved a petition in the high court stating that Janardhan did not belong to their caste and that he had possessed documents to substantiate the argument. After more than three years, the high court gave the judgement declaring the election of Janardhan as illegal. However, the court gave him four weeks time to challenge the order in the Supreme Court.

Interestingly, Janardhan was contemplating jumping into YSR Congress party till recently. After the arrest of party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in the CBI case, Janardhan had met the latter’s mother Vijayamma and expressed solidarity with her. However, he did not officially join the party.