Kadapa, November 12: Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy believes and, strongly too, that he would become the chief minister of the Andhra Pradesh one day. ‘‘It may not happen today (immediately), it may not happen in a year or even two. But, good days are bound to come and I will definitely occupy the office of the chief minister. That is for sure,’’ Jagan said, addressing a gathering of women at a function here.
He said Congress president Sonia Gandhi was in ‘our favour’ and justice would surely be done. ‘‘I want to become the chief minister to continue the programmes of our beloved leader Y S Rajasekhara Reddy,’’ he said and added that he required the blessings of everyone for him to be the chief minister.
Jagan’s comments are being interpreted as an attempt to instil confidence among his loyalists who have been down and out after clear messages from Delhi that there was no question of replacing Chief Minister K Rosaiah in the immediate future. The high command’s apparent reluctance to field Jagan in the Pulivendula byelection has further dampened the spirits of the MP’s camp.
But, by speaking out for the first time about his intentions to occupy the top slot, Jagan has also conveyed a message that his group in the Congress will not be quiet, irrespective of the central leadership’s expectations.
Jagan also made it clear that if anyone tried to either dilute or wind up the programmes launched by his father for the benefit of women and other sections, he would be in the forefront fighting against such attempts. In other words, Rosaiah will have to contend with opposition from within the party in the days to come.
–Agencies–