Jagan leaves for `yatra`, Cong not worried

Defying Cong leadership, Jaganmohan Reddy left for his `Odarpu’ yatra but the party is not worried.

Zeenews Bureau

Hyderabad: Defying the Congress party leadership, member of parliament Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Wednesday left for Andhra Pradesh`s Srikakulam district to resume his `Odarpu’ yatra amid speculation that he plans to float a new political party.

Unfazed by the warning by the leadership, Jagan left for Srikakulam to visit families of those who died of shock or committed suicide following the death of his father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash Sep 2 last year.

Downplaying the decision of its
Jagan to go ahead with his yatra, Congress said it was not
worried about such an issue.

"There are far greater issues to deal with, like the
Jammu and Kashmir situation and the economy. This is not an
issue on which we are worried about," party spokesperson
Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters here.

She said, "this is an issue of one MP".

Jagan took his mother Vijayalakshmi`s blessing before boarding the Falaknuma Express. A large number of his followers gathered at Secunderabad railway station to see him off.

Jagan would reach Palasa in Srikakulam at 8 a.m. Thursday and visit different places in the district over the next three days to meet 15 families.

Rajya Sabha MP K.V.P. Ramchandra Rao met Jagan here before he left for the yatra. Rao, a close friend of YSR, reportedly discussed with him his future plans. Minister for Minority Welfare Mohammed Ahmedullah and three legislators also met Jagan.

Meanwhile, sources close to Jagan said he was ready to face disciplinary action by the Congress leadership. There are already speculations in the political circles that he was planning to float a new party.

Asked whether Jaganmohan, son of former chief minister
Y S R Reddy had defied the party directive by undertaking the
yatra, Natarajan said, "I am sure the MP knows what the party
line is".

She said the AICC in-charge of the state M Veeraappa
Moily (who is currently abroad) will look into the issue at
the state level.

A follower of Jagan reportedly submitted an application to the Election Commission in New Delhi for the registration of a new party called ‘YSR Congress’.

Giving a new twist to the Jagan issue, Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, who reached New Delhi this evening, told reporters that the party leadership was not against the yatra.

"The leadership only wanted him not to conduct the Odarpur yatra like a victory march but follow his father YSR, who had taken out a similar yatra in 2001-02 to meet families of farmers who committed suicide," he said.

Earlier, Rosaiah had told media in Hyderabad that he has asked party legislators not to participate in Jagan’s yatra as the leadership has not given permission for this.

A senior party leader also dismissed suggestions that
Jaganmohan had rebelled against the party.

"It is an emotional issue. He is new to politics. It
could be a childish behaviour on his party," the leader said
on condition of anonymity.

Jaganmohan, who had defied the party directive against
undertaking the yatra in May also, had met Gandhi along with
his family members on June 29 to seek her permission for the
tour.

During the meeting, Gandhi had suggested assembling the
affected families at one place to console them and also to
offer financial assistance.

In an open letter to the people, he said, "We
explained to her the need to resume the yatra to console the
family members of those who died following the death of my
father. She (Sonia Gandhi) did not cite any specific reason
but did not appear to be favourably inclined over resuming the
yatra."

-Agencies inputs

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