Jagan warns TDP govt 'will repent' after visiting jailed YSRCP MLA in Kurnool
Synopsis
Jagan Mohan Reddy's jail visit to YSRCP MLA Virupakshi in Kurnool was a calculated political statement — he emerged with a detailed list of alleged abuses: destroyed CCTV cameras, a fabricated SC/ST case, 38 names on a bloated charge sheet, and three other Backward Class leaders he says have been similarly targeted. His 'Red Book Constitution' warning signals YSRCP is shifting from defence to counter-offensive.
Key Takeaways
Jagan Mohan Reddy visited jailed YSRCP MLA Virupakshi at Panchalingala jail, Kurnool district on 14 August .
Jagan alleged police destroyed CCTV cameras during a nocturnal raid on the MLA's home and arrested 38 persons , with names allegedly repeated to inflate the charge sheet.
He claimed a TDP worker tore the MLA's wife's robes and blamed the MLA, leading to an SC/ST case — while police allegedly refused to register a counter-complaint.
Jagan cited three additional cases — Seridi Apparaju , Mustafa , and Chinthada Ravi — as evidence of a pattern of targeting Backward Class YSRCP leaders.
The YSRCP chief warned the TDP-led government under CM N.
Chandrababu Naidu that it 'will have to repent in the coming days.' The TDP-led government and Andhra Pradesh police had not responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, 14 August visited jailed YSRCP MLA Virupakshi at a prison in Panchalingala, Kurnool district, and launched a sharp attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition government, warning that it 'will have to repent in the coming days.'
What Jagan Alleged at Panchalingala Jail
Speaking to reporters outside the prison, Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that law and order had broken down in Andhra Pradesh under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He claimed it had become routine practice under the TDP-led administration to register fabricated cases against Opposition members while shielding those responsible for actual attacks.
Jagan alleged that police forcibly entered the MLA's residence at night, destroyed CCTV cameras, and arrested Virupakshi along with his family members and supporters — a total of 38 persons — with names allegedly repeated in the charge sheet to inflate the count.
The Specific Charges Jagan Disputes
'False cases were filed against Virupakshi and the Red Book Constitution is in full play in booking the sitting MLA, his kin and followers in fabricated cases involving 38 persons and repeating their names to make the list longer,' Jagan Mohan Reddy said.
He further alleged that a TDP worker tore the robes of the MLA's wife and attributed the act to the MLA, enabling police to register a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. He claimed the same police declined to act when evidence of an attack on a YSRCP worker's residence was presented.
According to Jagan, the MLA had gone to assist a party worker named Hari who had sent an SOS after being attacked. While transporting Hari to safety, the MLA's vehicle was allegedly intercepted by TDP supporters, gravely injuring the MLA's brother.
Pattern of Targeting Backward Class Leaders, Says Jagan
Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged a broader pattern of the TDP-led government targeting Backward Class leaders who form a key part of the YSRCP's support base. He cited three additional cases to support his claim.
He alleged that Seridi Apparaju was arrested and a simple road accident case was converted into one carrying serious charges. He claimed Mustafa was picked up over a tobacco deal on 'flimsy grounds' and the case was escalated to kidnapping. He also alleged that Chinthada Ravi was arrested on charges of assaulting a woman Sub-Inspector while he was reportedly helping disperse a crowd.
Jagan's Warning and Police Conduct Complaint
'The motive has been clear — to trouble political adversaries by foisting false cases. But days will not be the same and the people pursuing the Red Book Constitution will have to repent in the coming days,' Jagan Mohan Reddy said.
He also raised a procedural complaint, alleging that police photographed him from 'an inappropriate angle in a standing posture' while he was entering the jail to meet the MLA — conduct he described as unacceptable given the police reforms his government had initiated. There was no immediate response from the TDP-led government or Andhra Pradesh police to the allegations at the time of reporting.
Point of View
And Jagan is deploying the playbook with precision. The more substantive question is whether the specific allegations — fabricated SC/ST charges, destroyed CCTV evidence, charge sheets with repeated names — will receive independent judicial scrutiny or be absorbed into the noise of routine inter-party warfare. Andhra Pradesh has a history of alternating governments using the police machinery against predecessors; the TDP's own leaders faced similar allegations during the YSRCP's tenure. Without an independent fact-finding mechanism, these cycles of accusation and counter-accusation erode institutional credibility far more than they damage either party.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was YSRCP MLA Virupakshi arrested?
YSRCP MLA Virupakshi was arrested and is being held at Panchalingala jail in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh. According to Jagan Mohan Reddy, the MLA faces charges that YSRCP alleges are fabricated, including a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act; the government has not publicly detailed its version of events.
What did Jagan Mohan Reddy allege against the TDP government?
Jagan alleged that the TDP-led coalition government under CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has been filing false cases against YSRCP leaders, particularly those from Backward Class communities. He specifically alleged that police destroyed CCTV cameras during the MLA's arrest, that a TDP worker framed the MLA in an SC/ST case, and that charge sheets were inflated by repeating the names of 38 accused persons.
Who are the other YSRCP leaders Jagan says have been targeted?
Jagan cited three other cases: Seridi Apparaju, whose road accident case was allegedly converted into a serious criminal matter; Mustafa, arrested over a tobacco deal and charged with kidnapping; and Chinthada Ravi, charged with assaulting a woman Sub-Inspector while allegedly helping disperse a crowd.
What is the 'Red Book Constitution' Jagan referred to?
'Red Book Constitution' is a phrase Jagan Mohan Reddy uses to allege that the TDP-led government operates by its own informal rulebook — one that, he claims, criminalises political opponents rather than following due process. He has used the term previously to criticise what he describes as partisan use of police and prosecution machinery.
Has the Andhra Pradesh government responded to Jagan's allegations?
As of the time of reporting, neither the TDP-led Andhra Pradesh government nor state police had issued a public response to the specific allegations made by Jagan Mohan Reddy following his jail visit on 14 August.
