Efforts to find YSR's successor climax

Political activity aimed at finding a successor to late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy reached a climax Thursday with Congress legislators rushing here anticipating a meeting to elect a new leader.

With the seven-day mourning period ending Wednesday, hectic efforts are on in both New Delhi and Hyderabad to pick a new chief minister.

The legislators started arriving here on the direction of ministers in charge of their respective districts who are confident that the Congress will name YSR’s 37-year-old son and Kadapa MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy the post of next chief minister.

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting is likely to be held in a few days to elect the new leader. YSR loyalists claim to have the support of 152 out of 154 assembly members to make Jagan the chief minister.

Party sources said the CLP meeting would elect Jagan as the leader in the presence of party’s central observers, who would then convey the choice to party president Sonia Gandhi for a formal announcement.

The sources have not ruled out the possibility of the CLP authorising Sonia Gandhi to take a decision after getting a firm assurance that Jagan would be named the leader.

This way, no one would feel that the central leadership had to bow to pressure from YSR loyalists.

YSR’s long-time advisor and friend K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, who is lobbying for Jagan, is camping in New Delhi for the third straight day Thursday. He has met Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Ramachandra Rao, a Rajya Sabha member, has met Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh M. Veerappa Moily and told them that the Congress would gain immensely by naming Jagan as chief minister.

Known as an astute strategist in political circles, Ramachandra Rao told the central leadership that Jagan, despite lack of political experience, was quite capable of facing challenges posed by the Telugu Desam Party and other opposition parties.

Sonia Gandhi held a series of meetings with party MPs from the state and other key leaders during last three days. After meeting her, some MPs openly aired their views in favour of Jagan.

YSR loyalists claim they also have the support of 40 out of 46 MPs. These include 33 members of the Lok Sabha.