 |
Hyderabad: In an attempt to checkmate Jaganmohan Reddy, the Congress has hijacked his tour to console families of those who died after his father and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy's death.
The party will now conduct its own Odarpu Yatra to meet the families and give them one lakh rupees each in compensation. This even as the leadership has told its cadre to keep away from Jagan's trip, saying it does not have Sonia Gandhi's blessings. And Jagan supporters seem to have got the message.
"Our advice to him is that the line drawn by the high command should not be crossed. If he does so, Jagan has to suffer a loss,'' says D Nagender, Health Minister, Andhra Pradesh.
By chanting the YSR name, the Congress party has killed three birds with one stone - Jagan can no longer criticise the Rosaiah government, accusing it of dumping the programmes that YSR launched; Two, Jagan can no longer claim to be the sole inheritor of the YSR legacy; And three, it makes it difficult for pro-Jagan MLAs to say they are with Jagan because he is paying respects to YSR, a leader they respected. YSR died in a helicopter crash in September last year when he was the Chief Minister.
At the same time, by not initiating disciplinary action against Jagan, YSR's son has been given a chance to be part of the party's official Odarpu yatra.
``We have to use this opportunity and travel together. Jagan has to sit with Veerappa Moily and discuss and settle all matters with them,'' said Vijayawada MP L Rajagopal.
But Jagan's camp insists the Kadapa MP will not change his plan to tour Prakasam district from September 3.
