Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, who has revolted against the Congress leadership, intends to seek re-election from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and says he is not keen on destabilising the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh.
The son of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy says he has fast-tracked the process to register and launch his new political party before the by-elections for Kadapa and Pulivendula assembly constituencies are announced.
Both seats were vacated by him and his mother Vijayalaxmi after they quit Congress on November 29 last year alleging "humiliation" by the party high command.
Jagan claimed that he has no intention to destabilise the Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh as he is preparing to face the assembly elections in 2014.
"I will seek re-election from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat," he told PTI in an interview.
He was asked about his future plans and whether he intends to contest from Pulivendula assembly seat, which his father had represented when he was the chief minister.
"I don't want to be in the state assembly right now. If I am there, they (Congress) will say I am there to destabilise the government. I don't want that. My focus is on 2014," he said.
"I alone cannot do anything in the assembly. I am waiting for 2014. That is my goal," he said.
After Jagan quit Congress, there was intense speculation that he would contest from Pulivendula. He also dismissed suggestions that he plans to dislodge the Congress government in the state by luring MLAs, saying, "If I had to, I would have done it in 2009 when 150 MLAs supported me (for the Chief Ministership)."
"Why would I do that now? My focus now is on 2014," he said. Asked why he intends to go to Lok Sabha again, he said, "it makes more sense to seek a larger mandate from 10 lakh people to enter Lok Sabha rather than seeking the mandate of 2 lakh people."
"Lok Sabha is a larger mandate. But, my focus would be state politics and I will be on the move visiting people across Andhra Pradesh," Jagan, whose 48-hour fast to highlight farmers' plight saw the participation of 20 Congress MLAs, said.
Asked about the plans to launch his political party, he said the process to register the outfit has already started and the Election Commission will be approached soon in this regard. "I have quit Congress. The next step is to launch a party of my own. That will be done. The process has already started and it will be completed in sometime," he said.
To a query what would be the name of the party, Jagan said: "I don't want to reveal the name now. If I do now, then someone will register in the same name and give problems to us."
Asked whether the party will be in place before the by-elections, he replied, "Before that". The former Kadapa MP also alleged that farmers in Andhra Pradesh are facing one of their "toughest times" for the past one year due to the policies of the state and the Central governments.
"The governments should help them. Farmers who have lost crops should be adequately compensated. They should be taken care of by the government," he said.
Jagan also said the 'Odarpu' yatra was the beginning of the end of his innings in Congress and claimed that the party high command never understood his feelings.
"That was the reason (for me to quit Congress). I had two options -- either to toe the Congress line or stick to my position. I chose the second one. Odarpu yatra is a personal tour," he said.
He also said he would embark on the Odarpu yatra in Visakhapatnam district from Monday during which he will console the families of those who allegedly died or committed suicide after hearing about the death of Rajasekhara Reddy in 2008.
Visakhapatnam Congress MP Sabbam Hari is likely to join Jagan in the yatra, which will be a further embarrassment for the ruling party after over 20 MLAs expressed solidarity with Jagan when he went on a 48-hour fast in Vijayawada to highlight farmer's plight in the state.
