NCLT allows Jagan's plea to cancel transfer of Saraswati Power shares to sister, mother
Hyderabad (PTI): In a relief to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the NCLT on Tuesday allowed a petition filed by the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister seeking a direction to cancel the "illegal transfer" of shares held by him and his wife in a company to his sister YS Sharmila and their mother.
In the petition filed on September 3, 2024, Jagan had sought the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Hyderabad bench to cancel, annul and nullify the transfer of shares held by him and his wife Bharathi in the company and sought reinstating their names in Saraswati Power and Industries Pvt. Ltd.
"Jagan Mohan Reddy's petition has been allowed. We are waiting for the order copy. There are some directions also. The petition filed by Jagan Mohan Reddy contending that the transfer of shares in Saraswati Power has been allowed," the YSRCP chief's counsel Y Suryanarayana told PTI.
When contacted, K Devi Prasanna Kumar, Sharmila's advocate said they will file an appeal against the order either in Appellate Tribunal or High Court.
Jagan, Bharati and his mother Vijayamma hold about 74.26 lakh (29.88 per cent), 41 lakh ( 16.30 per cent) and 1.22 crore shares (48.99 per cent), respectively, in Saraswati Power, while the rest is with Classic Realty Pvt. Ltd.
The former CM had moved the tribunal on the issue after his relations with Sharmila strained. She is presently the chief of the Andhra Pradesh Congress unit.
In the petition, Jagan said he entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sharmila wherein he said "out of love and affection," he would transfer shares held by him and his wife in the company through a gift deed to his estranged sister, subject to pending cases in respect of some properties, including attachments by the Enforcement Directorate.
The former CM said he intended to transfer the shares (Jagan's own property) in addition to Rs 200 crore that he, directly or through their mother, gave to his sister during the past decade.
Jagan, in a letter to his sister, opined that the share transfer without fulfilling the legal obligations and clearance from court would potentially have adverse implications.
He, however, expressed his desire to revoke the MoU, saying, both the siblings are no longer on the best of terms.
"It is humbly submitted that to the utter shock and surprise of the petitioners, respondent No. 1 (Saraswati Power and Industries) company wide board resolution has transferred the entire shareholding of petitioners No. 1 and 2 (Jagan and Bharathi, respectively) in favour of respondent No. 2 (Sharmila) and the entire shareholding of petitioner number three (Classic Realty, owned by the family), herein in favour of respondent No. 3 (Vijayamma)," Jagan alleged in his petition.
The YSRCP chief said Sharmila, without gratitude and regard to the well-being of her brother, conducted a series of actions that deeply hurt him and that she also made several untrue and false statements publicly.
Due to actions by his sister, there is "no love left between the two siblings", and he decided not to proceed with his expression of intent to transfer the shares/properties as envisaged under the MoU and gift deed.
After differences cropped up with his brother, Sharmila joined the Congress party last year and was made the president of its AP unit. She unsuccessfully contested from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 general elections.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
