Jagan warned by Congress
New Delhi, Aug. 21: After prolonged dithering and dilly-dallying, the Congress on Saturday finally made it clear to the Kadapa MP, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, that his rebellion will no longer be tolerated.
The warning came as Mr Jagan plans to proceed with the second leg of his Odarpu yatra from Prakasam district on September 3. The admonition came from none other than senior congress leader and Union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee.
According to sources, Mr Jagan had met Mr Mukherjee twice in the last one week during which he was cautioned against acting as a rebel. In the last few days there was hectic activity here in the capital in connection with the participation of legislators from Prakasam district in the yatra. Finally the party had left it to the MPs and MLAs to decide their course of action by declaring that anything they do should ultimately strengthen the party. But now, the party seems to have had a change of heart.
The Congress did not initiate any action against Mr Jagan, last time when he went on a yatra to console the families of those who reportedly died of shock after the death of Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.
Mr Jagan went on the yatra, much against the wish of the party president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, after affirming that the yatra was a personal one.
But now the Congress seems to have put its foot down and categorically stated that party discipline is paramount. The party views Andhra Pradesh as its bastion in the south, which returned a considerable number of MPs both in 2004 and 2009.
According to sources, the party does not want to give an impression that Mr Jagan can act against the wishes of the party with impunity and hence the stern warning. The party believes that if it does not rein in Jagan, it might lead to the Chief Minister, Mr Rosaiah, getting dislodged.
Mr Jagan is set to resume his yatra on September 3 after addressing a rally on the September 2 — the first death anniversary of his father YSR.
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