Sibling rivalry gets an ‘epic’ twist
The ongoing sibling rivalry between Andhra Pradesh Congress president Y.S. Sharmila and her brother and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy just got an ‘epic’ touch, thanks to Chandrababu Naidu invoking the Mahabharata to target his bête noire. Naidu sought to garner political mileage out of a family drama when he likened Jagan to Kansa mama, Lord Krishna’s maternal uncle, the tyrannical king of Mathura.
It all started with wedding plans. Sharmila sent out invitations to her daughter’s wedding in November. Yelahanka Palace, the family property in Bengaluru, was detailed as the venue. This infuriated Jagan, who has a running feud with his sister over the property. He shot off a letter to his sister, refusing to allow the wedding in the palace which he claimed was his ‘sole property’.
‘Hosting an event of this scale would involve several service providers, including catering staff, decorators, event managers, videographers and photographers, besides guests entering and leaving the premises. This will raise security concerns. The circulation of photographs and videos of the property and surrounding areas could also pose serious security risks,’ he wrote.
“This came as a big shock to Sharmila,” said her aide. “Wedding invitations have already gone out to relatives and prominent personalities. Now, she will be compelled to look for an alternative venue.”
Wading into the row, Chandrababu Naidu attacked Jagan for his “meanness and lack of respect for family values”. The chief minister added, “He is treating his own mother and sister unfairly over property disputes. Sharmila also has a share in the family property but he is obstructing [his] niece’s wedding. He is behaving like Kansa.”
Continuing the personal attack, Naidu alleged that Jagan had failed as a chief minister, a party leader, a son, an elder brother and, ultimately, as a citizen. Phew.
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