Hyderabad, Nov 20: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday appeared before the Special CBI court in Hyderabad in the disproportionate assets case.

Amid tight security, the president of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) appeared before the court at Nampally Criminal Court complex.

A large number of YSRCP cadres and supporters had gathered near the court premises to show solidarity with their leader.

The court recorded Jagan Mohan Reddy’s attendance and closed the hearing on his petition. After spending a few minutes in the court premises, he returned to Lotus Pond residence.

Outside the court premises, he greeted his supporters with folded hands before leaving in his car.

Earlier, the former chief minister reached Begumpet Airport in the city by a special aircraft from Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada. Hundreds of supporters accorded him a warm welcome. They were carrying placards and raising slogans in support of the YSRCP chief.

Jagan Mohan Reddy drove to his Lotus Pond residence and, after spending some time there, reached the court complex.

Police had imposed traffic restrictions around the court complex located in the heart of the city.

This was Jagan’s first physical appearance in the court in nearly six years. He had last appeared before the court on January 10, 2020, when he was the Chief Minister.

The YSRCP leader had been seeking exemption from personal appearance, citing his responsibilities as the Chief Minister.

Even after losing power last year, he continued seeking an exemption from personal appearance. While giving permission for him to visit Europe last month, the court had directed him to personally appear after his return.

He was directed to appear by November 14 to provide details of his travel and ensure adherence to his bail conditions.

When the former Chief Minister filed a petition seeking exemption from personal appearance, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had objected and sought court direction to him to personally appear.

The court had directed him to ensure his personal appearance on or before November 21. He decided to appear a day before the deadline.

Jagan Mohan Reddy has been on bail since September 2013 in the long-pending case, which stems from allegations of quid pro quo arrangements during the tenure of his late father, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh between 2004 and 2009.

The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) allege that various companies and individuals made massive investments, often at high premiums, into Jagan Mohan Reddy’s businesses, including Jagathi Publications and Bharathi Cements, in exchange for undue favours like land allotments, mining leases, and other clearances from the state government.

In the 11 charge sheets filed by the CBI in the case, Jagan Mohan Reddy has been named as the accused number one.

New Delhi, Nov 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated Nitish Kumar for taking oath as the Bihar Chief Minister, calling him an “experienced administrator” and praising his track record of “good governance” in the state.

Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar on Thursday, with Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administering the oath of office and secrecy at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan.

Taking to X, PM Modi posted, “Congratulations to Shri Nitish Kumar Ji on taking oath as Bihar’s Chief Minister. He is an experienced administrator with a proven track record of good governance for many years. My best wishes to him for his tenure ahead.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived at Patna Airport around 11 a.m., flew directly to the venue by helicopter.

This is also the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attended Nitish Kumar’s swearing-in ceremony, although Kumar has taken the oath five times since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014.

He has served under both the NDA and the Grand Alliance during this period. Today marks the first occasion on which PM Modi was present in Patna for his oath-taking.

Nitish Kumar took oath as Chief Minister for the 10th time at 11.30 a.m.

He first became Chief Minister in 2000, though his government lasted only seven days. Since returning to power in 2005, he has been sworn in nine consecutive times, reaching a historic tenth oath today.

Samrat Choudhary was sworn in immediately after Nitish Kumar. A victorious MLA from Tarapur, he has now taken charge as one of the Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar.

Vijay Sinha was sworn in next and has also assumed office as Deputy Chief Minister.

Several ministers were also administered the oath alongside Nitish Kumar, including Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Mangal Pandey, Dilip Jaiswal, Shravan Kumar, and Bijendra Yadav.

The Prime Minister congratulated all newly sworn-in ministers after the ceremony.

New Delhi, Nov 20: Senior Congress leader Udit Raj on Thursday took aim at Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Abu Azmi over his remarks on the former’s party, stating that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav should “discipline” such leaders.

He also compared the SP’s performance when it went solo in the polls and when it contested the elections with the Congress, stating that Azmi’s “senseless” remarks will only “strengthen the NDA”.

Azmi has said that the “arrogance” of Congress is “drowning” the party and that it no longer has a “stable vote bank”.

Reacting to this, Udit Raj told Media, “I would urge Akhilesh Yadav to discipline such people. What arrogance? There is no arrogance. We are fighting the ground-level battle, making sacrifices. Another point is that in 2019, the Samajwadi Party won 6 seats, and when it contested the election with the Congress, it won 37 seats this time. So who benefited? Who gains strength by making such senseless statements? It only strengthens the NDA. I would tell Akhilesh Yadav to keep such people under control.”

Attacking the Congress, Azmi had alleged that the party always assumes the position of dominance in any alliance and claimed that in the past, it had even walked out of partnerships just ahead of final seat-sharing decisions.

“Akhilesh Yadav formed an alliance very carefully, and we did well… However, Congress is facing the consequences of its own actions. Look at their condition… Congress’ arrogance is pulling it down. What does it do in the name of contesting for minorities? The party no longer has a stable vote bank. Despite being a national party, its role in the alliance is also not satisfactory,” Azmi told reporters.

Reiterating his decision to contest without any coalition, Azmi said that earlier alliances brought only “betrayal”.

He added that while the SP wants all secular forces to stand together to prevent vote-splitting, larger parties “only know how to take and do not know how to give”.