Former Congress MP Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday dared the Congress to take up the gauntlet by declaring that the Kiran Kumar Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government will collapse if his supporters in the legislature withdrew support. The Congress, however, has dismissed his challenge as “illusion”.
Mr Reddy, who is in the national capital to stage a one-day fast against the ‘injustice” meted out to Andhra Pradesh in the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal award, said that he was doing his former party a favour by allowing the government to survive. He said, “Currently I am doing a favour to the Congress party because if my MLAs resign, the government there will fall.”
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, making light of the challenge said, “Congress government in Andhra Pradesh was never under any threat, is not under any threat and will never be. If any person has any illusions at all, they will be demystified soon.”
In a show of strength, during the fast, he paraded 24 MLAs and two MPs, Sabbam Hari and Rajmohan Reddy. One Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA namely Bala Naga Reddy and Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) MLAs Shoba Naga Reddy and K. Rama Reddy were also seen participating in the fast. TDP MLA, N. Prasanna Kumar Reddy sent a letter expressing solidarity with Mr Reddy. Three Congress MLCs too joined the Jagan camp.
Taking credit for the continuance of the Congress government in his state, Mr Reddy said, “My people are very categorically saying that they have nothing to do with the party and they are still in the Congress because I am only asking them to do so.” He further added, “They have also been saying that in 2014, they will be contesting elections on my party ticket and not Congress’ ticket. They are very clearly exhibiting that if they are in Congress, they are doing a favour to the Congress Party.”
During the course of his speech, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy also insinuated that union law minister Veerappa Moily was behind the award of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, which he said favoured Karnataka over Andhra Pradesh.