Jaganmohan Reddy to resume yatra Monday; mother appeals to people to protect him

YSR Congress Party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy will resume his "Padayatra" (foot march) Monday from Makkuva in Vizianagaram district.

The Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly broke his "yatra" on October 25 after he was attacked at the Visakhapatnam airport and was on rest on the advice of doctors.

Now that he has recovered, he will resume the "yatra" to complete the final leg, his party has announced.

On October 25, Reddy was injured on the left shoulder when he was attacked by a man with a small knife at the airport in Visakhapatnam.

The assailant, J Srinivas, was employed at the airport canteen, the police had said.

"This is a re-birth for my son. I have placed him in your hands and you should protect him," Reddy's mother and YSRCP honorary president Y S Vijayamma appealed to the people Sunday.

Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, she said her son would be resuming the foot march after he escaped an attempt on his life.

In a party release, Vijayamma alleged that ever since the YSRCP was formed, the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had joined hands to "trouble" her family.

"Jagan did not budge to any pressure and his resolve was undeterred as people are with him and he has been with the people, who are like his family, which will provide the protective shield if necessary," she was quoted as saying.

Expressing lack of trust in the ongoing probe into the attack on Reddy, Vijayamma said, "We have no faith in the investigation as the DGP and the chief minister had set the tune of the exercise by rushing to the press with concocted versions aimed at diluting the case even before the probe began."