Hyderabad, Feb 19: Will the Jagan group MLAs be disqualified now, as the Election Commission has issued notification for by-elections to 7 vacant seats?

Will Jagan be arrested soon?

These are the questions being hotly discussed in political circles now. Congress leadership was worried about facing the by elections to these 7 seats and 17 more seats to be vacated by Jagan group MLAs at once.

The party has deliberately delayed disqualification of 16 Congress and 1 PRP MLAs who defied the party whip and voted for the no-confidence motion until the EC issued notification for the 7 vacant seats. If these MLAs were disqualified earlier, the EC would have announced by-elections to all the constituencies simultaneously. Congress has successfully blocked this danger. Reports are now abuzz that the government would get the disqualifications through in March and may get the YSR Congress chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy arrested in April.

By-elections to the seats to be vacated by Jagan group MLAs are likely to be held in August, say reports.

Congress thinking appears to be to get Jagan arrested and then launch a frontal attack on his irregularities extensively, before going for the by-elections in August. Congress is also weighing the consequences of arrest and considering if it would generate sympathy for him. If such sympathy was generated, it would be counter productive to the ruling party in the by-elections.

Jagati Publications Vice Chairman Vijaya Sai Reddy was arrested on January 2, in connection with the illegal assets case against Jagan.

CBI has time till April 2, for filing the charge sheet in the case.

Congress leaders are stating that Jagan would be arrested before that. 

Some are of the view that he could be arrested during the first week of March. Congress leadership wants to handle the arrest efficiently and in a way that would check the sympathy factor. Party has been internally discussing since quite some time, as to how they should check the sympathy if any. It is learnt that they are of the view that if by-elections were held with a gap of four to five months after the arrest, sympathy if any, would died own. The party would extensively campaign against Jagan’s illegitimate activities as mentioned in the CBI charge sheet or the case diary when it arrests him. This case diary and charge sheet would be sufficient to influence the voters, feels Congress leadership. It is learnt that Jagan group MLAs would be disqualified few days before or after his arrest. Now the main discussion in the political circles is centered on Jagan’s arrest and the consequences.