The national media has been relatively free of political blackmail that the parties indulge in Andhra Pradesh, especially since YSR regime. On Monday, the Times Group had to taste the fury of the bitter political rivalry among political parties in Andhra Pradesh.
The Times of India (Sunday Times of India) story about Jagan extending olive branch to Congress made the YSR Congress chief turn red with anger. In his inimitable style, he wrote a lengthy front page letter in Monday edition of Sakshi to Jaideep Bose, Editorial Director, Time Group, teaching the largest circulated paper in the world a lesson or two in journalistic principles.
Speaking both as a media baron and a politician, Jagan did not hesitate to issue veiled warnings to the Times of India, hinting that he himself is running ‘the ninth largest circulated newspaper in the country’.
Times Group has now become part of the ‘yellow syndicate’, Jagan alleged. Times is now on writing on the same lines as Eenadu, Andhra Jyothy papers and their TV channels along with TV9, which, he alleged, are managed by TDP.
Denying that he had ever the MPs for the purpose of achieving a truce with Congress high command , Jagan claimed his was the only party which was working for the poor in the state, and is the only opposition party in Andhra Pradesh.
Alleging that TDP and ruling Congress have a secret understanding in the state, he questioned as to why Times was not publishing reports on these lines. Jagan charged that Times was making itself a ploy to be used by Chandrababu Naidu in his vilification campaign that YSR Congress would one day merge with Congress.
Claiming that he would become CM with people’s support and not with the blessings of Delhi, Jagan asked Times not to become a tool in the propaganda unleashed by Chandrababu.
