New Delhi, June 01: The Congress high command has told Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to mend his ways, lest the party be forced to take disciplinary action against him. Defying the party’s diktat, the Kadapa MP and son of the late Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Y. S.
Rajasekhara Reddy, had embarked on a rally in the state’s volatile Telangana region on May 28. The march had triggered violence between Jagan’s supporters and opponents and he was taken into preventive custody.
Though Jagan reiterated that the rally was to console the family members of those who had committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father in a helicopter crash last year, his defence has not cut much ice with the high command. The Congress leadership has, in fact, taken a grim view of his defiance.
Jagan arrived in New Delhi on Sunday to meet senior Congress leaders, including party chief Sonia Gandhi, to clear what he said was a “misunderstanding”. Even as a miffed Sonia Gandhi did not grant him an audience on Monday, her political secretary Ahmed Patel met him for about 20 minutes. He counselled Jagan against indulging in anti-party activities.
Sources said Jagan also rang up finance minister Pranab Mukherjee for a meeting on Monday, but the latter snubbed him saying he had no time. Mukherjee was believed to be incensed with Jagan for creating trouble for Andhra Pradesh chief minister K. Rosaiah, who was trying to restore normalcy after the Telangana fire engulfed the state last December.
Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said the matter ( Jagan’s yatra) was under the consideration of the party high command and whatever action was required would be taken by the general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh.
In a veiled warning, she said: “ The Congress is over 100 years old and it is not going to be weakened by any individual.” In reply to a question, she said there was no timeframe for any action.
Earlier in the morning, Jagan said he would go ahead with the yatra and was ready to quit as MP if it was proved that he had politicised the visit.
After the stern message from the high command, Jagan sounded a bit contradictory. Asked whether he would continue with the tour, he said: “ The yatra cannot be stopped as I am committed to continuing it.” At the same time, he said he wanted to meet the party leadership and apprise it about the rally’s resumption.
“ Whatever I’m doing is for my father. I’m sure the Congress president will understand my point,” he said, adding that his opponents had sent an adverse report to the Congress leadership. “ I have sought an appointment with the party high command to inform them about what has happened. I will explain to them that I have done nothing wrong,” he said.
Rosaiah, Union minister Veerappa Moily, who is the AICC in charge of the state, and even finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had cautioned Jagan against undertaking a yatra that could revive old wounds.
Jagan claimed it was his moral responsibility to meet and console the families of those who had either died or allegedly committed suicide after hearing the news of his father’s death.
“ Never did I make a single political statement. You can check the tapes and if you can prove that in even one meeting in Khammam district had I politicised ( the yatra), I am ready to go to any extent. I am ready to even resign,” he said.
Sources said the Congress assessment was that Jagan was fast losing supporters in the state.
He had acquired the image of a brash, immature and aggressive young man. “ Many of his father’s followers are deserting him. They have apprehensions whether he can lead the party in the state,” an AICC leader said.
The Congress, buoyed by the support of the Praja Rajyam Party led by megastar Chiranjeevi, has been talking tough.
ROW RECAP
Congress MP Jaganmohan Reddy is under fire for going ahead with a rally in Andhra Pradesh’s Telangana region
The rally from May 28 had led to violence between his supporters and opponents
Jaganmohan said he organised it for his father, the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy
He had sought to meet Sonia Gandhi but was snubbed
He is ready to quit if it is proved that his rally was political
But he insists on going ahead with the yatra
—Agencies