Hyderabad, July 01: The sphinx-like silence Congress president Sonia Gandhi maintained on YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Odarpu Yatra during his interaction with her at her residence in Delhi on Tuesday has left his campers baffled.
Jagan is keen on resuming his yatra from July 8, the birth anniversary of his late father YS Rajasekhara Reddy, from Srikakulam after his aborted attempt to tour Warangal district in May.
In the half-an-hour audience with Sonia Gandhi, Jagan, who was accompanied by his mother Jayamma and sister Sharmeela, reportedly explained to her the apolitical nature of the yatra and his honourable intentions. According to sources, Jagan, even without being asked, told the party chief that he had no desire to quit the Congress or join another party in an obvious attempt at mending fences.
“Sonia Gandhi received them well and showed interest in what Jayamma and Sharmeela also had to say besides of course Jagan,” a Jagan loyalist said.
But since Sonia Gandhi had neither told Jagan to suspend his yatra nor had given him the green signal, the Kadapa MP’s loyalists hope that she may not prevent him this time. “The atmosphere has changed for the better,” the Jagan loyalist said but in the same breath added that it was always difficult to read Sonia Gandhi’s mind. “If Madam does not want him to resume his yatra, she would have conveyed the same to him instead of inviting him to Delhi,” he pointed out.
However, sources said, “we do not know what is on her mind. She did not give any indication. Throughout the meeting, she kept listening and finally advised him to get in touch with Veerappa Moily.” They did not rule out the possibility of Sonia still suspecting Jagan’s intentions.
Nonetheless, Jagan’s men are awaiting a “clear indication” in a few days.
According to G Ramachandra Rao, PCC kisan cell general secretary and a close aide of Jagan, the Kadapa MP has planned three days of Odarpu yatra in Srikakulam from July 8 and more than a week’s tour in East Godavari from July 11.
The yatra would be continued with the party high command’s permission. “Inviting Jagan and his mother to her residence itself indicates that Sonia Gandhi is positive towards Odarpu Yatra. Besides, there are no obstacles to the programme in Srikakulam.
I am hopeful that the high command will give permission to Jagan shortly,” he said.
It is learnt that the Congress leadership will make its stand clear on Odarpu Yatra only after talks with Chief Minister K Rosaiah who is expected to visit Delhi on July 2.
——Agencies