YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mother YS Vijayamma on Tuesday, October 29 came out in support of her daughter YS Sharmila in the property dispute between the family. Jagan had alleged that an “illegal” transfer of shares in Saraswati Power and Industries Private Limited to his sister YS Sharmila and mother YS Vijayamma had brought “deep disrepute”. However, Vijayamma said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2019 mandates that the assets belong to Sharmila, and is not a gift. 

Vijayamma said that it was Jagan who proposed the division of property in 2019, after he became the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. According to the letter, Jagan reasoned that the properties should be divided “as the children are getting older and will have life partners sooner or later.” She said that YS Rajasekhara Reddy had never divided the family property, as claimed by party leaders YV Subba Reddy and V Vijaya Sai Reddy. 

“For the properties that the Enforcement Directorate did not seize—specifically, the 100% of Saraswathi shares listed in the MoU, and the Yelahanka property, which wasn’t in the MoU—Jagan promised, both verbally and in writing, to transfer them to Sharmila right away. However, these assets were never actually transferred to her. To make matters worse, even the other assets not seized by the ED were also not transferred to Sharmila as promised,” the letter said. 

Vijayamma said that the MoU, which Jagan has raised, was signed in her presence. “As per the MoU, Jagan would get 60% and Sharmila, the remaining 40%. Because it was her right, they paid Rs 200 crore dividend to Sharmila. Because Sharmila had a rightful share, they prepared this MoU and formalised it. This is the same MoU that Jagan quoted verbally and penned down in his own words,” she stated.

“I admit that YSR, when he was alive, had a few properties registered in our son, Jagan’s name and a few in our daughter, Sharmila’s name. But this does not mean that the entire property was divided. What is even more absurd is that these people even read out the list of properties that they claim YSR bequeathed to Sharmila. I wonder why they have not read out a similar list for Jagan. I once again assert that what YSR did was only earmark properties for his children; no division has happened,” the letter read.

Vijayamma said while it was impossible to differentiate between their children, it was not easy to stay composed and silent when one sibling [Sharmila] is meted out injustice by another [Jagan]. “It is my duty as the parent to stand by the side of justice and truth and rise for the cause of the victim. I had to embark on this painstaking mission, explaining these facts patiently and objectively to you, because the lies peddled by the so-called veterans and well-wishers need to be countered and neutralised. Notwithstanding these facts, let me make it clear that they are siblings and know very well how to clear these issues and solve their problems,” she added.