It appears that some of the accused in the murder of former Andhra Pradesh minister Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy believe that entering politics could help them build a public profile while the case remains pending.
Sunil Yadav, accused No. 2 in the Vivekananda Reddy murder case, announced that he intends to enter politics soon.
Speaking to reporters after attending a Yadav community gathering at Guntakal in Anantapur district on Sunday, Sunil Yadav said his political journey had effectively begun with the community meeting.
He said he was in discussions with several political parties regarding his possible entry into active politics. Sunil Yadav also sought to distance the criminal case from his political ambitions, asserting that there was no connection between the case against him and his decision to enter politics.
He claimed that a case had merely been registered against him and that the trial had not yet commenced. On that basis, he maintained that he could not be considered guilty.
“I am not guilty,” he said, arguing that the allegations against him were still subject to judicial proceedings.
Sunil Yadav’s proposed political entry is likely to attract attention because of his status as an accused in the high-profile Vivekananda Reddy murder case. His announcement comes as he seeks to establish himself politically through Yadav community organisations and consultations with different political parties.
He indicated that further developments regarding his political entry would emerge after discussions with the parties concerned.
Already, another accused in the case, Shaik Dastagiri, the former driver who later turned approver, entered politics ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Dastagiri joined the Jaibhimrao Bharat Party (JBP) on February 29, 2024, after being welcomed into the party by its president, advocate Jada Sravan Kumar.
He was declared the party’s official candidate for the high-profile Pulivendula Assembly constituency in Kadapa district, where he was set to contest against former chief minister and YSRCP president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. However, his nomination was rejected on technical grounds.
Dastagiri said his campaign was focused on fighting systemic injustice and corruption while challenging the YSRCP leadership, which he has accused of threatening his safety because of his role as an approver in the CBI case.
