The crisis in Andhra Pradesh's ruling Congress worsened on Thursday, when the party's central leadership issued a clear directive that no minister or legislator should join the yatra of defiant Kadappa Member of Parliament Y S Jaganmaohan Reddy. Reddy and his followers have been preparing for the 11-day condolence tour of Prakasham district which is scheduled to start from September 3.
The latest orders came directly from Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmad Patel. Reacting strongly to Jagamohan's open defiance, all the Congress legislators from Prakasham district were summoned to New Delhi and told by Patel to stay away from Jagan's tour.
Sonia Gandhi was reportedly extremely upset with Jaganmohan after he went ahead with his 'Odarpu' Yatra of Srikakulam and East Godavari district for almost three weeks, in spite of the Congress president specifically urging him against undertaking the yatra.
On Thursday, Chief Minister K Rosaiah contacted Minister for Mining B Srinivas Reddy, who hails from Prakasham, and informed him about the stance of the party high command on the proposed yatra of Jagan.
"I have been asked by Patel to tell you that nobody should attend Odarpu Yatra. If you ignore this, there will be serious consequences," sources quoted the CM as saying.
Srinivas Reddy, who is also a relative of Jaganmohan, reportedly remained unmoved by the warning and said that he will definitely attend the yatra.
"I will remain with Jagan and I am ready to face any consequences," he reportedly said.
G Ravikumar, a Congress legislator from Prakasham, told reporters, "We will take a decision after consulting our supporters in our assembly constituencies."
Jaganmohan lashed out at Prakasham's Congress legislators and told them that they should refrain from advising him against going ahead with the yatra.
Union minister D Purandareswari, who also hails from Prakasham, met Gandhi in New Delhi to discuss the situation. She told the media that Gandhi has asked the Congress party to take up the programme of consoling the people who had died of shock over the death of chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy last year. She said that Gandhi wanted to bring all the affected families to one place in every district and distribute financial assistance to them. She has also asked the party to install one statue of YSR in each district.
