Naidu ends fast; but Cong's Jagan problem grows
On the day Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu broke his fast after 8 days of hunger strike, the Congress woes in Andhra Pradesh appear to have multiplied following reports that 30 of its legislators had joined rebel YS Jaganmohan Reddy's "show of strength" in Vijayawada.
On the day Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu broke his fast after 8 days of hunger strike, the Congress woes in Andhra Pradesh appear to have multiplied following reports that 30 of its legislators had joined rebel YS Jaganmohan Reddy's "show of strength" in Vijayawada.
The party is worried over the fast changing political situation in the state, particularly after Jagan's threat that the Kiran Kumar Reddy government would collapse before the completion of its term.
The Congress has 156 legislators in the house of 294 and to remain in power it needs to maintain the magic figure of 148. As the number of Jagan supporters swells, the party is striving to keep its flock together.
"It is a serious situation. More and more MLAs are joining him. It will be a tough ask for us to save the government if he decides to bring it down now," a party leader said.
Keeping their fingers crossed, the Congress managers are now closely watching the moves of the former Kadapa MP who has kept his cards close to his chest. So far, Jagan has also not shown any hurry to pull the rug.
But ending his 48-hour hunger strike on Thursday, an upbeat Jagan - with Congress members of parliament and legislators by his side - described the party as "anti-farmer".
He also accused the state government of "negating" the promises made by his late father YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
Jagan is not the only leader to have taken up the farmers' cause. Naidu had been on a huger strike for the last eight days, demanding better compensation for flood-hit farmers.
He broke the fast following intervention by CPM's Prakash Karat, CPI's AB Bardhan, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, RLD president Ajit Singh and others.