In Jagan Reddy-Sharmila family dispute, Vijayamma sides with daughter

YS Jagan Reddy and his sister Sharmila are embroiled in a multi-crore inheritance dispute, mother's support for daughter in open letter intensifies tussle

Intensifying the ongoing multi-crore inheritance dispute between YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, chief of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), and his sister Sharmila, a Congress leader, their mother Vijayamma publicly expressed her support for her daughter, stating it was her “duty to speak up for the unfairly treated child.”

 

Vijayamma voiced her support for Sharmila in an open letter shared by various news outlets.

 

In response, the YSR Congress Party issued a letter accusing Vijayamma of bias. They claimed that she has consistently supported Sharmila and the Congress both before and after the recent Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, where YSRCP faced significant losses to the rival Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by N Chandrababu Naidu.

 

 

What is the family dispute between Jagan Reddy and Sharmila?

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy died on September 2, 2009 in a helicopter crash. Reddy was travelling from Hyderabad to Chittoor district when the helicopter encountered adverse weather conditions and crashed in the Nallamala forest area. The crash was attributed to poor visibility and challenging terrain.

 

After the passing of their father, siblings Jagan and Sharmila continued to live and work together until 2019, with both receiving equal dividends from family assets, according to Vijayamma.

 

After becoming the chief minister in 2019, however, Jagan proposed a division of assets. The siblings reportedly signed an MoU in Vijayawada, which outlined a 60-40 division favouring Jagan. Sharmila received ~200 crore from Jagan’s share, but this arrangement was never fully implemented due to pending legal complications from cases involving the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

 

Tensions escalated as Jagan filed a petition with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), alleging that Sharmila and Vijayamma had improperly transferred shares in Saraswati Power and Industries. This move was met with opposition from Sharmila, who argued that Jagan had reneged on the MoU and was unjustly withholding her share

 

'Pains me to see injustice to one child': Vijayamma in open letter

Vijayamma addressed allegations regarding the distribution of family assets, clarifying that her late husband had allocated certain assets to both Jagan and Sharmila, but had not divided them. She insisted that YSR's wish was for his children to share equally and emphasised that the family's current difficulties were incomprehensible to her.

 

In her letter, Vijayamma noted that Sharmila had not engaged in family business but had devoted herself to politics at Jagan's request. “Jagan's rise to power owes much to Sharmila's efforts. As a mother, all children are equal, and it pains me to see injustice done to one child," She wrote.

 

Vijayamma recalled happier times before her husband, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, passed away, emphasising the sadness and pain this family rift has caused her.

 

YSCR refute Vijayamma's claims

The YSRCP refuted Vijayamma's claims, stating that Jagan had not sought the return of assets, but had acted out of goodwill. They clarified that he had previously shared his assets with Sharmila and asserted that no illegal transfers had occurred. The party further emphasised that Sharmila had aligned with the party responsible for Jagan Reddy's imprisonment.

 

As tensions escalate, the siblings have exchanged bitter letters, each accusing the other of actions that undermine their father's legacy.

 

The legal and personal discord remains unresolved, with both sides awaiting further proceedings in November 2024.