Anam under fire for remarks on YSR family

Ongole: Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy's aggressive remarks against YSR Congress Party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy and other members of late Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy's family sparked spontaneous protest from Prakasam district MLAs Balineni Srinivasula Reddy and Buchipalli Sivaprasada Reddy on Saturday. Former minister and YSRCP whip Balineni termed the controversial comments as `nasty' in nature. He said that Anam's outburst seeking Jagan's hanging and expulsion of YSR family from the State reflected the `ugly' tactics to which Anam could stoop to, ostensibly with an eye on Chief Minister's post or for fear of losing his cabinet rank. Balineni recalled that Anam had wept inconsolably when Dr Rajasekhara Reddy was killed in a helicopter crash. Was his grief for the late leader an act of drama, Balineni wondered? The YSRCP whip said that it was because of Rajasekhara Reddy that Anam had seen political growth. It was sad to see leaders like him who had been recently targeting other members of YSR family besides Jagan, he said.

Protest rally Darsi (Prakasam): Activists of YSRCP under the leadership of Darsi MLA Buchipalli Sivaprasada Reddy took out a protest rally in the town and burnt an effigy of Anam after hanging it at Clock Tower. The irate party workers raised slogans against the minister and mauled the effigy with sticks and slippers during the procession that passed through the main streets. Later, addressing the media, Buchipalli came down heavily on Anam for his `derogatory' remarks. The political posts being enjoyed by Anam were the YSR's offerings in the former's begging bowl, he said. Stating that Anam was a political dwarf, the MLA said that he had no stature to point finger at any member of YSR family. It would have been appropriate for the minister to prostrate before Congress president Sonia Gandhi to secure political promotion rather than targeting YSR family. He had no moral right to comment on the family as he shed `crocodile tears' at the time of YSR's death. The sympathisers of YSR would not tolerate similar utterances in future, he warned.

`Anam lost mental balance' Nuzivid (Krishna): Attacking Anam, YSRCP Krishna district convenor Samineni Udayabhanu said the minister had lost his mental balance and was not fit to continue in the post. He participated in the Rachchabanda programme organised to mark the 119th day of Sharmila's Maro Praja Prasthanam at Yanamadala of Nuzivid mandal in Krishna district on Saturday. In a chat with The Hans India, the party convenor demanded the minister to step down immediately. He recalled Anam advocating Jagan as chief minister at the time of YSR's accidental death. Now, the finance minister was resorting to `drama' with hunger for power, Udayabhanu said.