The High Court notices to Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and several of his companies on allegations of illegal investments was the big story of the day as it took the cake in the media columns. However, the development evoked a competitive zeal among the divided local media as they reported their versions with gusto.
The widely expected disruptions in Telangana region to the government’s ambitious “Racchabanda” programme, the ongoing war between Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi on one hand and the ruling party and Jagan camp on the other, TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao’s fiery rhetoric on Telangana, the High Court’s observations on Emmar Properties controversy and MLA Neeraja Reddy’s vanishing act were among the major headlines across leading publications.
It was a field day for Jagan-baiters as High Court issued notices to former Kadapa MP and 52 others including his media house and asked them to show cause why the court should not order CBI inquiry into the flow of investments into the companies floated by Jagan. “Eenadu” gave a detailed account of the “benami” investments made by industrialists in a string of companies started by Jagan and how it turned out to be a classic case of misuse of power by the YSR government. The daily published the contents of a letter addressed to the court by P Shankar Rao in November last year when he was the legislator.
However, “Sakshi” quoted a senior Supreme Court lawyer questioning the court’s rationale behind admitting a legislator’s letter as Public Interest Litigation. On the other hand, “Andhra Jyothy” claimed that it was the first to unearth the scandal involving illegal investments into companies owned by Jagan and how the shares were purchased at a premium by some industrialists who were later rewarded with lucrative contracts and land allotments at throwaway prices.
In an apparent counter attack, “Sakshi” carried a front-page story accusing the Congress of being hand-in-glove with TDP in the game of mud-slinging against YSR family. It essentially questioned Shankar Rao writing a letter to the court with baseless allegations instead of the government ordering a CBI probe into the charges. It wondered why the Congress had failed to seek a CBI inquiry if it was so convinced about the allegations.
On “Racchabanda” programme which was launched yesterday amidst chaotic scenes in Telangana region, “Andhra Bhoomi” report said several MLAs were driven away by Telangana activists. “Sakshi” report attacked Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy’s style of functioning and said he had fumbled during the mass contact programme. The Chief Minister’s assertion that YSR was the inspiration behind the programme was highlighted by “Andhra Jyothy”.
The TRS Chief KCR’s combative statement that separate Telangana state would be possible only with the arm-twisting of Chief Minister was prominently displayed by “Eenadu” while “Andhra Bhoomi” quoted him as saying that the delay in bifurcation of the state was due to spineless Congress leaders.
“Vaarha” highlighted CM’s engagements as part of “Racchabanda” programme while pushing the story on High Court notices to Jagan to inside pages. “Eenadu” gave prominent display to senior TDP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy’s volte face on the demand for separate party unit for Telangana.
