In a startling turn of events during the 2024 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections, former YSRCP MLA Pinnelli Rama Krishna Reddy made headlines by smashing an EVM machine at a polling booth. This act, caught on CCTV, sparked nationwide condemnation and legal repercussions, including charges of attempted murder against a TDP agent who intervened. But YS Jagan came to the defense of Pinnelli now and he applied the strategies from the same defense playbook that he has been using for more than a decade now. Details as follow:
Step-1 of Jagan’s Defense Strategy: Justification of the Misconduct and Deflection
YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy now came to Pinnelli’s defense, citing alleged irregularities and obstruction of SC voters by TDP agents at the polling booth. Jagan rationalized Pinnelli’s actions as a response to perceived injustice, asserting that the smashing of the EVM was a consequence of provocation rather than premeditation.
This tactic mirrors past strategies where YSRCP leaders justify the misconduct and deflect accusations. For example, when CBI filed cases on Jagan’s disproportionate assets a decade ago, no YSRCP leader denied the allegations of corruption. Figures like Ambati and Konda Surekha (a former YSRCP member) countered by accusing other political leaders, including CBN and Congress leaders, of similar misconduct. During the CBI inquiry, YSRCP leaders argued that such investigations should be done on all politicians elected since 1950, rather than singling out Jagan.
Step-2 in YSRCP’s Defense Playbook: Manipulate Arguments based on Technical Details
Further complicating the narrative, Jagan delved into technicalities surrounding the incident. He questioned the timing of the police action (May 23rd) following the incident (May 13th) and pointed out discrepancies in the police report, suggesting that Pinnelli’s arrest was unjustified and politically motivated.
This tactic of dragging technical and peripheral details into focus serves to muddy the waters and sow doubt among the public and legal authorities. This strategy reminiscent of past high-profile cases involving the YSRCP. For example, during Kodi Kathi case as well as YS Viveka murder case, Jagan’s statements focused on complicating of technical details instead of straight talk on the actual incident.
Step-3 – Never Take Questions from Media: Evading Scrutiny
A hallmark of Jagan’s defense strategy is his avoidance of direct engagement with the media. During press conferences and public statements, Jagan delivers carefully crafted messages but refuses to allow supplementary questions from journalists. This shields his arguments from immediate scrutiny and prevents potentially damaging revelations from surfacing.
By controlling the narrative and limiting interaction, Jagan mitigates the risk of exposing weaknesses in his defense strategy, a tactic that has become synonymous with his leadership style. In his entire political career spanning more than a decade, he never allowed open questions from media.
We need to wait and see how long will Jagan continue to use the same play book of defense to convince people.