The wedding card had been printed and the date fixed. But there was a problem with the venue.
What began as a family row between YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his sister, YS Sharmila, over a Bengaluru house has now landed in the middle of Andhra Pradesh politics.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday accused the YSRCP chief of being "like Kansa Mama" (the maternal uncle of Lord Krishna in Hindu mythology) and of failing "as an elder brother".
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president YS Sharmila wants to hold her daughter's wedding at the Yelahanka Palace, Bengaluru home of Jagan Reddy. But he asked her to find another venue, citing security risks.
Reddy's party responded by releasing his letter to Sharmila. In it, he cites security risks as the reason for refusing to host her daughter's wedding at his Bengaluru home.
Naidu claimed that Reddy's father, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, had divided the Yelahanka property into two parts. This is the Bengaluru home at the centre of the dispute. He said one part went to his daughter and the other to his son. Naidu also said the wedding card had been printed and preparations completed before Reddy withdrew permission.
"The people surrounding him made up a story about security," Naidu said. He argued that Rajasekhara Reddy had faced a greater security threat and had still held weddings in the same house, including his own and that of Sunitha.
He added, "My effort is to explain how dangerous and risky a person's mindset is becoming for the state."
"He has failed as Chief Minister, party leader, son, brother and even as a citizen," Naidu said.
READ | 'Failed As Chief Minister, Brother': Chandrababu Naidu Attacks Jagan Reddy
Naidu said family relationships should not be sacrificed over property disputes, and that the public should understand what such conduct means.
What The Letter Says
The letter is dated October 9 and was released by the YSRCP today. Addressing Sharmila as "Dear Sharmi", Reddy began by welcoming news of the wedding of her daughter, Anjili. Despite all that had happened over the past seven years, he said he sincerely wished her a lifetime of happiness and love.
He then said he had learnt that Sharmila still planned to hold the wedding at his Bangalore residence, despite concerns he had passed on through various people. A wedding would bring a large number of people onto the property, he wrote. They would include caterers, decorators, florists, event managers, photographers, videographers and guests. Most of them, he said, would be unknown to the family.
Photographs and videos of the premises and surrounding areas would also be in circulation, which he described as a serious security concern.
Sources close to the YSRCP president told NDTV that he had conveyed his objections nearly two months in advance through family members.
'This Is My Home'
Reddy wrote that the decision was not an easy one and that he had watched Anjili grow up. He called her "Jili". He said he wanted the best for her but that the security and privacy risks could not be overlooked.
"Even if it were for Harsha or Varsha I would have done the same," he wrote, referring to his own daughters.
"At the end of the day, this is my home and I want to ensure that me and my family are safe here," the letter said.
He also said he was hurt that Sharmila had gone ahead despite his disapproval.
The YSRCP president asked Sharmila to find another venue. He noted that she had not used a convention centre or destination wedding venue, as she did for her son Raja's wedding. He said he had also offered her the use of his Lotus Pond property in Hyderabad, and that the offer still stands.
He said he wanted the wedding to be a special day that Anjili would remember fondly, and urged Sharmila to see the matter from his perspective.
Anjili Reddy is set to marry Dr Somala Raghuram Reddy. The wedding is planned for November 25, with a reception in Hyderabad on December 5. Sharmila personally invited several guests to the Bengaluru event. They include the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, and the Congress's Gandhi family, as well as other top politicians, businesspeople and celebrities.
The relationship between Jagan and Sharmila has been strained for some time. The dispute is over assets linked to their late father, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
About 20 acres of the Yelahanka Palace estate is reportedly part of the wider dispute, with ownership claims. Jagan's position, as reported, is that the residence is registered in the name of his wife Bharati Reddy's mother. Sharmila's side argues that the Bengaluru property should be considered in the broader division of family assets.
The dispute also covers shares in Saraswati Power and Industries Ltd. Proceedings over family assets are pending before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).