Hyderabad, July 11: YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday took the Congress high command head-on.
Signalling a virtual rebellion, which could set in motion interesting developments in the ruling Congress, the Kadapa MP and son of the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, accused the Congress leadership, both at the Centre and in the State, of preventing ministers and legislators from participating in his Odarpu Yatra.
Addressing a series of roadside meetings on Day 3 of his tour in this district, Jagan said: “Several ministers and MLAs want to be by my side during the yatra. But the party has imposed restrictions on them. I want to know how fair is this attitude.”
Having maintained all along that his yatra was intended only to console families of those who had died in the wake of YSR’s demise, Jagan has now more than ensured that his tour remains in the limelight with his continuous carping at the party leadership, directly at times and indirectly on occasions.
On Friday, he said he was dismayed at the manner in which politics in the state had touched a nadir after YSR’s death. On Saturday, he packed more spice into his attack. Though he did not name Chief Minister K Rosaiah or Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Jagan left none in doubt as to his intentions: He is ready to take on the leadership if he is ignored. According to him, all the ministers and legislators from the district were keen on meeting the bereaved families along with him.
“Their heart is very much here though they are physically somewhere else. They are going through tremendous mental trauma. That’s why they are deputing their wives, brothers and children. After watching all this, I wonder what sin have I committed,” Jagan remarked.
He did not stop at that. Without referring to anyone, the MP said he had information that MLAs and ministers belonging to East Godavari, where he is scheduled to tour in the next few days, had been directed not to attend the yatra.
Defending his yatra, he sought to know if anyone else in the party had bothered to meet the bereaved families. “Is it a crime to love my late father? Were all those who died not sympathisers of the Congress? Shouldn’t we share their grief?” were the questions he posed.
The MP further said it was unfortunate that the Congress leadership did not even allow legislators to participate in YSR’s birth anniversary celebrations in their respective constituencies on July 8.
A day before, Rosaiah had made it clear that the party leadership was against the yatra and, therefore, participation in it amounted to indiscipline.
Though not totally unexpected, the young MP’s tirade has left the party leadership thinking. Will it crack the whip against Jagan before it is too late or will it bow to him fearing a split in the party? That’s a million dollar question and subject of animated discussions in the Congress circles.
Nandikotkuru MLA Venkata Swami Reddy, Rayachoti MLA Srikanta Reddy, Badwe l MLA Narasimha Reddy, Rajampet MLA Amarnath Reddy, Darsi MLA Sriprasada Reddy, Kothapet ex-MLA Jaggi Reddy, Narasannapet MLA Dharmana Krishna Das’ wife and former minister Konathala Ramakrishna participated in the yatra.
–Agencies–