skip to main |
skip to sidebar
It is rather surprising to see old warhorses of the Congress to rush to the support of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s candidature for the Chief Minister’s post.
In the last three days, veteran Congress leaders – former CM N Janardhan Reddy, former union minister G Venkatswamy, former MLA V Purushottam Reddy and APSRTC chairman M Satyanarayana Rao, came out strongly with the strong demand for making Jagan as the next Chief Minister. Interestingly, all these leaders were bitter critics of late CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and even tried to foment dissidence in the party against YSR.
So, what could be the reason for their support to Jagan? Sources sayvthese leaders have realised that none of them would be considered for the CM post, as they have become outdated. At the same time, they don’t want other seniors like K Kesava Rao, V Hanumantha Rao or S Jaipal Reddy to be in the top seat, which would only cause heartburn for them. The best option is to support Jagan and get into his good books at least in the fag end of the career!
With the legacy of YSR coming to an end, a new era will begin if his son Y S Jagan becomes the chief minister and as per the party sources, that seems to be the most likely happening and it is just a matter of time. However, here is a look at the possible challenges Jagan might face.
Top in the list is said to be the Swine flu mania along with the other infectionary diseases like Viral fever, Flu etc. On the other hand, Jagan is expected to contain any disobedience from the party members which might arise in the absence of his father.
Then, there is also the challenge for him to maintain equation with seniors in the party as they are going to play a crucial role going forward. There will come a time when the YSR enigma will fade and Jagan will be on his own and it will be up to him to take the legacy forward and win the people’s heart.
Praja Rajyam party mahila wing president Shobha Rani has made an appeal to film actress-turned-politician Roja, who quit the Telugu Desam Party on Monday.
‘Please don’t try to come into the PRP. We don’t know what will happen to our leader Chiranjeevi,” she said, in a sarcastic tone. She pointed out that Roja had proved an iron leg both in the TDP and the Congress. “When she joined the TDP, party president Chandrababu Naidu had a miraculous escape from naxalite attack. And when she met Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, within two days, he had perished. Somehow, some people have these vibrations in their body that can cause disaster for others,” Shobha Rani said.
The PRP mahila president called YSR’s son Jaganmohan Reddy and consoled him. It is not known whether she had advised not to entertain Roja or not.
Rajya Sabha member and Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s long time friend K V P Ramachandra Rao has rushed to New Delhi on Monday evening.
The obvious reason is to apprise the high command of the developments in the state congress and the demand for making Y S Jaganmohan Reddy as the Chief Minister. And for that, he has to appease the top leaders like Veerappa Moily, Ahmed Patel and other leaders.
Sources say KVP has taken a few ‘suitcases” as he used to do during the YSR period, to please the bosses. So, if not pressure tactics, suitcases will work to a great extent in changing the high command’s opinion.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to arrive in Hyderabad on Thursday to hold talks with various sections within the party. It is after his visit that the party may decide to convene a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) to elect its new leader.
Jaganmohan Reddy, whose supporters are campaigning for making him the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday broke his silence on the succession issue saying it should be left to the high command for a decision.
In a veiled reference to his supporters' demand, 36-year-old Jagan said party chief Sonia Gandhi respects public perception and feelings of lakhs of Congress Party workers and will take a decision in such a way that his father Rajasekhara Reddy's ideals, mission and zeal would not be compromised.
"Our high command knows and more particularly our beloved leader Sonia Gandhi respects the public perception and feelings of lakhs of Congress Party workers and she knows too well what is good for all of us and what is good for our state and people," Jagan, who arrived here today from Idupulapaya, two days after last rites for his late father, said in a four-page message to party leaders and workers.
"I request you to wait the decision of Ms Sonia Gandhi, President, AICC on the issue of leadership and also urge you to abide the decision".
Gandhi will take a decision in such a way that Rajasekhara Reddy's "ideals, mission and zeal would not be compromised in any manner", he said.
The first-time MP from Kadapa recalled "the outstanding love and affection" shown by Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia for his father.
Jagan said he was particularly grateful to Sonia Gandhi "for her immense support and help to my father at all crucial times. She stood like a rock behind my father and supported him wholeheartedly throughout his career."
Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Kadapa MP and son of late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, expressed hope that AICC president Sonia Gandhi will do justice and will honour the sentimetns of the people in deciding the next Chief Minister. In a way, he indirectly brought pressure on her to make him the CM.
Here is the text of open letter written by Jagan to the party workers:
My mother Smt. Vijayalakshmi, my sister Smt. Sharmila and our other family members join me in conveying our deepest sense of gratitude to millions of people who have shared our sorrow and grief in this hour of greatest tragedy in the passing away of my illustrious father, Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. We are really moved by the extraordinary affection and love shown by all of you, but for which it would have been even more difficult for us to cope with this painful situation.
We are greatly pained to see hundreds of people losing their lives unable to bear the untimely demise of their most beloved leader. We can understand your feelings as we ourselves are in the same situation. But the best way of paying your tribute for the departed soul is by carrying on his mantle and by making sure that all his programmes and ideologies are carried on and completed.
He always used to say that his dream was to wipe every tear from every eye. He sincerely tried to do his best in the accomplishment of this most difficult task. We all have a responsibility, as true followers of his legacy, to work towards fulfilling his unfulfilled dream. We cannot afford to lose our heart and become panicky. We have to somehow summon courage and maintain calm and composure and pay our silent and respectful homage to him. On behalf of my family, I request you with folded hands, to desist from the extreme actions of committing suicides. Your life is extremely important to us. It is but for all of you and your love and affection, your sympathy and admiration, my father would not have been what he was.
I would like to personally thank Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji, Sri Rahul Gandhi ji, the Governor of AP, Chief Ministers of various states, Union Cabinet Ministers and thousands of other senior leaders of all political parties that have come to Hyderabad and Idupulapaya to pay homage to my father and to console us.
As I and our other family members are grieving for the greatest loss in our life, we cannot but help in recalling the outstanding love and affection shown by Late Smt. Indira Gandhi, Late Sri Rajiv Gandhi and Smt. Sonia Gandhi for my father, but for whose unstinted support at every part of his career, it would not have been possible for my father to scale the heights he has reached. It is really a tribute to Late Sri Rajiv Gandhi that he could spot talent in my father and it was late Smt. Indira Gandhi, who appointed him at the age of 33 year as the President of APCC. It is equally important to note that Smt Sonia Gandhi ji had chosen my father as President of APCC in 1998, as Leader of Opposition in 1999, as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in 2004 and 2009. We are particularly grateful to Smt. Sonia Gandhi for her immense support and help to my father at all crucial times. She stood like a rock behind my father and supported him wholeheartedly throughout his career.
It should be said to the credit of my father that he too carried on the legacy of Smt. Indira Gandhi and Sri Rajiv Gandhi in full measure and made it no secret that his greatest source on inspiration for all developmental and welfare programmes was late Smt. Indira Gandhi.
It is providential that my father also laid down his life in the call of the duty, on his way to inaugurate yet another programme for the benefit of the common man, in the true legacy of his benefactors.
During the last meeting of the Party held at Gandhi Bhavan on 27th August 2009, my father clearly mentioned that his main task and dream is to make the Congress Party to form the government on its own in 2014 general elections and to make Sri Rahul Gandhi ji as the Prime Minister of the country.
We are also grateful to lakhs of Congress leaders and the cadre in our State for whom my father had the greatest affection. But for your support, it would not have been possible for my father to rebuild the Congress Party in the State and to win many a battle including those two general elections. I can understand your feelings and emotions for your leader. Some of you have worked very closely with him and helped him in implementing the largest number of welfare programmes to benefit every citizen in the State. I know that you are all passionately attached to him and want to carry his mantle and fulfill his unfulfilled dreams. I am grateful to all of you for these good feelings.
It came to my notice that some of the Party Leaders and workers were rushing to the media and suggesting their choices for the successor of my father. I request every one with folded hands to stop such activities by going to the media, signature campaigns, using of banners, placards demonstrations etc., for my leadership as the successor of our beloved departed leader as this is not the time or the occasion. On my part, like my father, I am duty bound to be a loyal and disciplined Congress worker. We are in mourning with deep heart. As a disciplined soldier of the Congress Party it gives pain to the soul of our beloved leader.
We are all members of a big Congress family, which has a long history and tradition of 125 years. It is our good fortune to be members of this great family that has not only brought freedom for our country but also institutionalized democracy in our country.
Every Congress Worker knows that it is the tradition of our Party to leave the decision of leadership to the high command and our beloved leader Smt Sonia Gandhi ji.
Our high command knows and more particularly our beloved leader Smt. Sonia Gandhi respects the public perception and feelings of lakhs of Congress Party workers and she knows too well what is good for all of us and what is good for our state and people. I request you to await the decision of Smt Sonia Gandhi, President, AICC on the issue of leadership and also urge you to abide the decision.
Our beloved leader and President of AICC, Smt Sonia Gandhi ji will take a decision in such a way that Dr Rajasekhara Reddy’s ideals, mission and zeal would not be compromised in any manner.
I humbly appeal to you to be strong and courageous; I am with you in these trying times, just as you are with me.
(Y S JAGAN MOHAN REDDY),
Kadapa MP
The re-swearing-in ceremony of Rosaiah Cabinet would have become controversial but for the timely intervention of the high command and of course, K V P Ramachandra Rao, advisor to late CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
In the morning, a few ministers expressed their reluctance to be sworn in, as they wanted Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy to be declared the Chief Minister. “I don’t feel like being a minister without YSR. I wish Jagan takes over as the Chief Minister,” minister D K Aruna said. Others like Jupalli Krishna Rao, Konda Surekha, Ahmedulla and P Ramachandra Reddy also expressed similar opinion. This led to speculations that some of them might abstain from swearing-in.
However, the situation changed by evening. The Congress high command sent a message to all the ministers through late Rajasekhara Reddy’s advisor K V P Ramachandra Rao that they should take oath. Minutes before the swearing in ceremony, KVP held a meeting of all the ministers at his residence and told them that abstaining would send wrong signals to the party cadres and that it amounted to defying the party directive.
