Jagan in talks with Andhra legislators and ministers

Hyderabad: Amid the speculations that the AICC President Sonia Gandhi was soon going to call former chief m inister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, his camp continues to witness hectic activity as many more leaders, including ministers and legislators, met with him yesterday.

Even as several senior Congress leaders have rallied around the Chief Minister K. Rosaiah and demonstrated their support to him, several young leaders and first timers in the state assembly were busy sending signals to the high command that Jaganmohan Reddy was their only choice as the state chief minister.

According to the buzz among the supporters of Jagan, the MP from Kadapa will soon go to Delhi on the invitation of Sonia Gandhi for discussions on the current political situation in the state. The sources said that YSR's widow Vijayalakshmi will also accompany Jagan to Delhi to meet Gandhi. This surprise angle has triggered speculations that Congress party was likely to field Vijaylakshmi from Pulivendula assembly constituency, which was represented by her husband Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy at the time of his death on September 2.

Big blow

If this turns out to be right, this will be a big blow to the chief ministerial ambition of Jagan. Fielding Vijayalakshmi from Pulivendula means Jagan will remain a member of Lok Sabha and at the best he could hope of being accommodated in the central cabinet.

Though Jaganmohan Reddy has been trying for an audience with Gandhi for quite some time, he has not been successful as the high command maintained that she was busy.

Jagan's supporters, who say all 73 first-time MLAs were with Jagan, continued their verbal assault on the seniors. The Minister for Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, who met Jagan yesterday, charged the senior leaders with creating unnecessary problems by making statements against Jaganmohan Reddy.

He was apparently referring to the meeting of several senior leaders at the residence of former minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy, who has become the rallying point for pro-Rosaiah leaders.

Ramanarayana Reddy's brother and MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy also lashed out at the seniors saying, "They are not active politicians. They are only active lobbyists".

Others who met with Jaganmohan Reddy yesterday include the Minister for Health D. Nagendar and former speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy.

Though YSR's family has vacated the Chief Minister's official residence, the attached camp office continues to be used by Jaganmohan Reddy and it has become the beehive of activity of the anti-Rosaiah and pro-Jagan elements once again.