Pro-Telangana forces and a section of Congress men supporting the ‘Odarpu yatra' (consoling tour) of Kadapa MP Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy tour of Warangal district from May 28 are gearing up for confrontation.
The possibility of an ugly face-off is not ruled out ahead of the Congress MP's arrival at Mahabubabad railway station as both sides are refusing to budge an inch from their respective stands. Former Minister Konda Surekha and some other Warangal Congress leaders are all set to take on anti-Jagan forces. Ms. Surekha and her supporters reportedly urged Mr. Jagan not to call off the tour under the threats being held out by Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao that it would create a ‘war-like situation.' They told him that they would suffer a loss of face if he called off his tour and show KCR's men their place. They are already mobilising their followers in a big way.
It is understood that the Jagan camp is closely monitoring the developments in Warangal district. It is believed that Mr. Jagan is in no mood to put off the tour as he is convinced that it will send wrong signals since he has already toured Khammam district in Telangana as part of the ‘Odarpu yatra'.
TRS targeted
On Wednesday, not only YSR loyalists but leaders of other political parties lashed out at KCR's statement. Ms. Konda Surekha said KCR was afraid that the success of the yatra would reduce the TRS to a non-entity, while Health Minister Danam Nagender questioned the basis of holding out threats. Communist Party of India (Marxist) secretary B. V. Raghavulu said by threatening to disrupt Jagan's yatra, the TRS was violating his democratic right.
Lok Satta Party president N. Jayaprakash Narayan took a dig at the TRS saying that no one needed a visa to tour any part of the country.
