Jagan Mohan Reddy takes middle path

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Hyderabad: A day after his release from jail, YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, met party leaders and chalked out his future political plans.Reddy hinted that he would work towards the formation of a secular Third Front with like-minded parties to play a key role in national politics. He will also take up a Samaikya Yatra (United AP tour) across the state soon and also meet leaders of the CPM and the Majlis to enlist their support for the cause.On Wednesday, Reddy had a series of meetings with party legislators and senior leaders in the party’s “core group” at his Lotus Pond residence.When developments like the Telugu Desam trying to tie up with the BJP was mentioned during one of the meetings, he reportedly said, “Let us not bother about what is happening on the TD or the Congress front. Let us stick to the principle of secularism regardless of losses or gains.”About the allegations that his release was facilitated by the Congress high command, Mr Reddy said, “The Congress is not that strong either in the state or in other parts of the country. I feel a secular Third Front will be the best alternative and is the need of the hour; there are many parties who don’t want to work with the Congress or the BJP.”He also mentioned BJD leader Naveen Patnaik, Trinamul leader Mamata Banerjee and SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav as fighting against both the Congress and the BJP.About the ongoing bifurcation issue of the state, Jagan Mohan Reddy told leaders that the party was committed towards a United AP and would agitate to keep the state united. He also hinted that he would soon take up a “Samaikya Yatra” across the state in two phases with the first phase being in the Seemandhra region.He hinted that he would try to unite the CPM and the MIM, parties that were also opposed to the state’s division, and try to form a political front.He also suggested that party cadres and leaders should actively get involved in the agitations and be the front runners for the united AP cause.Opposition scared of Jagan: YSRCAsserting that the return of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to public life has electrified political atmosphere in the state, YSR Congress has said that his adversaries are in a jittery and have been spreading canards as they are scared of his popularity.Though the Opposition parties have been spreading rumours, the fact remains that the bail was given by the court purely on merit and after the CBI completed its investigation with the directive of the Supreme Court, party senior leaders D.A. Somayajulu and Konathala Ramakrishna said here on Wednesday.In the earlier five times, when Jagan Mohan Reddy had moved the courts for bail, the CBI always contended that the investigation was not complete.Once the final chargesheet was filed, Jagan Mohan Reddy automatically became eligible for bail and the comments by Telugu Desam, BJP and Lok Satta leaders were made out of frustration and sheer disappointment.Telugu Desam leaders’ allegation that YSR Congress honorary president and Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mother Y.S. Vijayalakshmi has thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi immediately after the bail was given has no credence at all and the leaders should name the source of the information.