The YSRC has tactfully raked up YSR's death as an "emotional" issue that could generate "sympathy" and eventually translate into votes in the June 12 by-polls to one Lok Sabha and 18 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh.
The Congress is displaying equal vigour in hitting back at its rival, making the game interesting.
The chopper crash is the new addition to the ongoing slugfest between the Congress and the YSRC in the run-up to the by-elections.
As she took charge of the YSRC's poll campaign following her son Jagan's arrest in the disproportionate assets case, YSR's widow Vijaya began articulating the "conspiracy theory" in the helicopter crash in which her husband was killed.
Till then there was not much noise in the Jagan camp over the chopper crash though occasionally it raised "doubts" over the "accident" that happened on September 2, 2009.
But now, with the noose tightening around her son and YSRC president Jagan on the corruption issue, Vijaya apparently chose to make a fresh issue of the chopper crash in what is being seen as a clear attempt to garner sympathy.
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"YSR (on the fateful day) himself asked (the officials concerned) why a chopper that was not used for three-four months was being used that day.
There are several doubts over this," Vijaya claimed, as she addressed a road-show in Payakaraopet constituency today.
"On September 3, 2009, I asked my son what could have happened (in the chopper crash). He told me, 'unless power is in our hands, we can't get to the truth.' He told me 'unless the state and Central governments determinedly probed, the truth will not come out. Even if the truth is known, it will not be revealed' as power is in their hands," Vijaya sought to explain, asking people if they too believed in the (conspiracy) theory. More