As Kejriwal names Maguntas in court, father and son campaign for BJP ally in Andhra

It was in September 2022 that Srinivasulu’s name first emerged in the case, as the ED searched offices, premises and properties owned by him in Nellore, New Delhi and Chennai. He was, however, never made an accused in the case.

In February 2023, Raghava was arrested by the ED on money laundering charges. “Phir baap toot gaye (the father buckled then),” the CM said in Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday, alleging that following his son’s arrest, Srinivasulu changed his previous statement to the ED.

In October 2023, special court judge M K Nagpal allowed Raghava to turn an approver in the case. Kejriwal alleged that seven of Raghava’s statements were recorded, and six were not against him. “Only one statement was against me. As soon as he made a statement against me, he was released,” alleged the CM.

Raghava turned approver and was granted pardon in the ED case in October last year, and anticipatory bail in a CBI case in February this year.

He and Srinivasulu, a four-time MP from Ongole, joined the TDP on February 28 this year – both were welcomed into the party by its chief N Chandrababu Naidu.

A former Congressman, Srinivasulu had quit the party ahead of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and joined the TDP. After a loss in the 2014 general elections, he joined the YSR Congress Party and won from Ongole in 2019. After five years with the YSRCP, Srinivasulu returned to the TDP fold late last month.

According to TDP sources, Srinivasulu initially planned to retire from politics, paving the way for son Raghava, who he hoped would get a ticket from the same Lok Sabha constituency that has been his stronghold. However, the TDP is learnt to be more keen on giving Srinivasulu a ticket as the excise case shadow still looms over his son.

In fact, sources say the excise case was also behind the father-son duo quitting the YSRCP because the party did not back them after Raghava’s arrest. Since then, according to sources, he had been increasingly sidelined. According to sources in the YSRCP, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was apprehensive of fielding someone embroiled in a case that has drawn national attention.

For the TDP, the family’s influence in Ongole presents an opportunity to make crucial inroads into the constituency. Apart from its political heft, the Magunta family owns Balaji Distilleries and two other companies, and has been in the liquor business for over seven decades.

As soon as the father-son duo joined the TDP, Raghava started campaigning in the first week of March, hopeful of a ticket from the family stronghold. He held door-to-door walks in assembly constituencies of Ongole, Darsi, Giddalur, Kanigiri and Kondapi, which fall under the Ongole Lok Sabha seat.

According to sources, Raghav was also expected to cover the Yerragondapalem and Markapuram Assembly constituencies, but once Kejriwal was arrested, the TDP leadership felt it would be better for Srinivasulu to contest, and conveyed this to him.