I am ready to be judged by the people

In an exclusive interview to INDIA TODAY over two days, first during his campaign on May 17 and then on May 26, a day before his arrest, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy talks about Congress high command Sonia Gandhi, CBI investigations into his wealth and what the future holds for him. His forearms and back of his hands have scratch marks, left by people wanting to shake his hand and touch him. He tells Associate Editor BHAVNA VIJ- AURORA and NIRMALA RAVINDRAN that it’s “people’s love”.

Q. Your campaign has been cut short by CBI calling you in for questioning. What do you think of the timing?

A. The timing is extremely suspect. The Congress obviously does not want me to continue the campaign. We are all set to sweep the bypolls. The plan for these elections is to campaign for 41 days. We’re on the road non- stop, unless they arrest me or something ( laughs). Q. Do you think you will be arrested? A. I know I will be arrested. Congress plays very predictable games. In fact, I will be very surprised if I’m not arrested.

Q. Do you think the CBI investigations have been orchestrated by Congress?

A. It has everything to do with Congress. My father and I were very honourable and much loved men as long as we were with the party. The minute I left the party, we became dishonourable. I am ready to be judged by the people but I cannot believe they would stoop so low to malign my father, a leader who has brought them unprecedented victory and who is not there to defend himself.

Q. Would it have been easier if you had fallen in line?

A. Of course. I would have become a minister immediately, and later, chief minister. And there would have been no CBI investigation ( laughs), but that’s not the way it is destined. I decided to go on the yatra to visit families of the people who died for my father. This made the high command see red. Your promise means nothing, they said. But I had given my word, and one thing I’ve learnt from my father is that if you give your word, you have to fulfil it. Q. So you started your own party. A. All that happened later. When I quit, everyone told me that I was finished and I should prepare myself for political oblivion. So when several Congress MPs and MLAs wanted to resign and join me, I told them to wait. I didn’t want them to bear the brunt of my decision. For years my father had been telling people to vote for the hand ( Congress symbol); would they vote for me if I wasn’t part of the Congress? And yet, God and my late father in heaven and the people ensured that I won the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat in May 2011 with a record margin.

Q. What do you have to say about the cases against you?

A. Within a month of resigning from the Congress, I got income tax notices. If my father’s or my crime is that land was given to industries at throwaway prices, then the governments of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu should be dismissed; they give land free to industries to set up factories. And what about the land deals by the previous governments? Have the land allotments during N. Chandrababu Naidu’s reign been scrutinised? And about valuation of Sakshi ( his media house), whatever wealth has been accumulated, we have the records to prove where it came from.

Q. But that’s not what the investigations reveal.

A. I am not worried about the investigations. I have appointed lawyers who will deal with it. But look what a battering the image of the state has taken. In its vindictive effort to finish me, the Congress is killing businesses in Andhra.

Q. So you are saying Congress is vindictive?

A. The Congress is very vindictive and they’ve proved it time and again. It’s also a strange party; they let individuals affect them. Congress and Sonia Gandhi took it personally and could not come to terms with the fact that a kid stood up to them. They thought I won’t survive without the Congress. They forget it’s a democracy and not emergency or rule of a few.

Q. You are accused of taking favours from industrialists in return for land, of falsification of records and fraud.

A. Accused by whom, that’s the important question. Accused by the Congress, and what does that mean? I have been cooperating with and answering CBI’S queries. Let’s see what ‘ truth’ it will reveal. Q. Is the Odarpu yatra still on? A. It won’t be over till I visit every family where someone died for my father. In the course of this yatra, I have learnt a lot. I have visited more than 700 houses in the poorest districts. People tell me about how some scheme or the other introduced by my father touched their lives. I’m humbled.

Q. You’ve become a seasoned politician in a very short time, haven’t you?

A. Ten years ago, I didn’t want to be in politics. Then Rahul Gandhi entered politics and there was much excitement. My family thought I must be part of this. But I wanted to run a media company. In 2009, my father wanted me to join politics. I told him why should I jump into the dirt and grime of politics when I can have politicians come to me as owner of a media group. Then my father gave me an ultimatum. I never thought there would be a day when I would have to handle things without my father. But I’m learning as I go. It’s been a very good learning experience.

Q. What do you have to say about Rahul Gandhi?

A. I won’t like to say anything. It will sound very arrogant if I say something. Q. Is the life of a politician lonely? A. I can’t speak for others but I miss my father. I never thought twice about anything when he was around; if things went wrong I could always blame him ( laughs). Today, I’m responsible not just for myself but also for the people. I am not the chief minister, yet people come to me, because they trusted my father and know that they can trust me. Yes it’s a lonely journey, but not in a bad way.