The claim made by Kadapa MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy that some Congress leaders were prevented from participating in his ‘Odarpu yatra' triggered a row with the ruling party roping in three Ministers on Sunday to deny the charge.
At a press conference here, Ministers Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao, Silpa Mohan Reddy and Paspuleti Balaraju also refuted his remarks that some Ministers and legislators were “anguished” at their inability to attend the yatra. There was no party directive to skip the yatra. Describing the yatra as a ‘family affair', they said none should politicise it.
They maintained that a collective decision would be taken when Mr. Reddy planned to tour their districts.
Denying that the government had neglected the 61{+s}{+t} birth anniversary celebrations of YSR, they asserted that the Assembly monsoon session had begun as scheduled, without any motive.
Meanwhile, detractors of the MP faulted his ‘uncalled' for remarks and met Chief Minister K. Rosaiah. They included ex-Minister Palvai Goverdhan Reddy and former PCC chief P. Narsa Reddy.
Ministers Gade Venkat Reddy, Dharmana Prasada Rao, Vatti Vasant Kumar and P. Viswaroop were among those who met Mr. Rosaiah on Sunday. At a press conference, Mr. Goverdhan Reddy said it would be foolish to think the MP would strengthen the party. He accused the latter of trying to engineer a split and said ‘seniors' would write to the party chief seeking a probe into Mr. Jagan amassing wealth in five years.
APCC spokespersons, Paladugu Venkat Rao and N. Tulasi Reddy, and AICC secretary P. Sudhakar Reddy wondered why political statements were being made during the tour. However, Mr. Jagan's supporters former MLAs Bajireddy Goverdhan and S. Gangaram flayed the detractors, saying they were unable to digest the ‘huge' response to the yatra. They ruled out the possibility of the MP attempting to break the party.
