Decode Politics: In Andhra, why a court restraining order in Jagan uncle murder case is a setback for Oppn

A Kadapa district court has issued an order restraining the leaders of the Opposition NDA – comprising the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP) and BJP – and the Congress from making derogatory comments against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and the party’s Kadapa MP and candidate Y S Avinash Reddy in the murder case of Jagan’s uncle Y S Vivekananda Reddy, brother of ex-CM late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

The court directed the Opposition leaders — including Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y S Sharmila, Jagan’s sister, TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu, TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh, state BJP chief Purandeswari and JSP president Pawan Kalyan — to desist from making defamatory comments, particularly ordering them to refrain from alleging that Avinash, Jagan’s cousin, had “killed” his uncle Vivekananda Reddy and that Jagan was “shielding” him.

The court’s injunction on Thursday came after Kadapa Mayor and YSRCP leader K Suresh Babu filed a plea claiming the Opposition leaders’ allegations were “irreversibly” damaging the political and personal reputation of the YSRCP leaders, especially during the current election campaign, while the trial in the murder case has been pending in a special CBI court at Nampally in Hyderabad in Telangana. Andhra Pradesh is heading for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls on May 13.

In her order, Judge G Sridevi said, “It was prima facie evident that the respondents made scurrilous and defamatory attacks on Mr Jagan and Mr Avinash Reddy, unmindful of the fact that every accused in a criminal case was presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. Besides, it was to be noted that Mr Jagan