Loyalists of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy continued their damage control exercise to ensure that his son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy gets the nod from the party’s high command for the top post.
YSR’s close aide and Rajya Sabha member K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao returned to New Delhi on Saturday to continue his interaction with the Central leadership and assure that State Congress leaders, though unanimous in their demand for making Mr. Jagan as Chief Minister, would abide by its decisions.
On Saturday, there was lull in the pro-Jagan camp in the city, with Ministers and MLAs preferring to lie low. There is realisation that their aggression and open canvassing of support for Mr. Jagan had only evoked a negative response from the AICC.
At the same time, the leaders are gradually getting reconciled to facing up to a situation wherein the change of leadership may take several weeks or even months going by the assertion of senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee that a final decision on the succession issue will take a longer time.
Yet, there was satisfaction that by knocking at every door in New Delhi, Dr. Ramachandra Rao and the MPs owing allegiance to Mr. Jagan had succeeded to some extent on dispelling certain misgiving about the events in the wake of YSR’s death.
Dr. Rao, at a meeting with the State Ministers on Friday, admitted that the reports in the media about the demonstrations, unofficial Cabinet resolution to make Mr. Jagan Chief Minister, decision to convene informal CLP meeting, the unsavoury episode in Gandhi Bhavan and alleged non-cooperation of Ministers to Chief Minister K. Rosaiah damaged their cause to a great extent.
Public posturing
He appealed to the party leaders not to indulge in public posturing that could negate all the efforts so far.
“The Central leadership knows very well that Mr. Jagan is the only contender, who has the backing of 152 MLAs and over 40 MPs from the State. We are hopeful that an invitation to Mr. Jagan to take over the reins is a matter of time as the support he enjoys among leaders and cadre cannot be simply put off,” his loyalist said.
A delegation of party MPs plan to visit New Delhi in the next three to four days and continue their lobbying.
