Jagan remains defiant, to go ahead with yatra

Congress MP Jaganmohan Reddy is determined to continue his “consolation tour” across Andhra Pradesh, despite the party leadership asking him not to do so.

Congress MP Jaganmohan Reddy is determined to continue his “consolation tour” across Andhra Pradesh, despite the party leadership asking him not to do so.

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This step by Jaganmohan, late chief minister YSR Reddy’s son, could widen the rift between him and K. Rosaiah, the present chief minister.

The tour is to console the families of those who allegedly committed suicide or died of shock in September 2009 following the death of YSR Reddy in a helicopter crash.

“Who told you that the odarpu yatra (consolation tour) is cancelled,” Jaganmohan asked mediapersons at Anantapur (350 km from Hyderabad), when asked to comment on reports that he had cancelled his Srikakulam (coastal Andhra Pradesh) tour, which was to begin on June 8.

Jaganmohan was in Anantpur, bordering Karnataka, to attend the wedding of former MP Satyanarain Reddy’s son.

While he evaded further questions, his followers say the yatra was on.

Jaganmohan’s followers are confident that the high command could be persuaded to give its consent for the tour on the revised date.

Agriculture Minister N Raghuverra Reddy, a close follower of YSR and his son, said: “There is no second thought about his tour. He (Jaganmohan) will go ahead with his programme after taking the blessings of the high command.”

Sources close to Jaganmohan said the Srikakulam tour had been postponed to June 14 because on that day in 2003 YSR concluded his 1,470-km journey by foot (padyatra) in that district. This helped the party return to power in 2004.

Since the padyatra is vivid in people’s memory, the Jaganmohan camp wants to turn it to good account.