Andhra succession battle: Jagan plays his cards carefully

Rosaiah's Council of Ministers was sworn in on Sunday but even they are asking for YSR's son Jagan Mohan Reddy to be made chief minister at the earliest.

Jagan's supporters disrupted a condolence meeting not allowing the PCC president and CM to speak. Jagan did some damage control making a public appeal to exercise restraint and await Sonia Gandhi's decision.

A condolence meeting at Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress headquarters in Hyderabad, turned into an ugly show of strength. Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's supporters booed PCC president D Srinivas, not letting him speak. Chief minister Rosaiah left halfway through. Only after YSR's longtime associate K V P Ramachandra Rao made an emotional appeal, matters calmed down.

"I am appealing to you for maintaining peace. I want Rajasekhara Reddy's soul to rest in peace," said Ramchandra Rao.

The very public lobbying in full media glare forced Jagan to issue a statement asking his supporters to stop rushing to the media with suggestions on who should succeed YSR, and also not indulge in signature campaigns and demonstrations.

"Sonia Gandhi respects the public perception and feelings of lakhs of Congress party workers and knows what is good for all of us. So await her decision and abide by it," said Jagan.

Ministers in YSR's Cabinet, who had sworn loyalty to Jagan and initially refused to take their oath to office under Rosaiah, were convinced otherwise.

"There is a demand from every party worker, minister, legislator, MP that Jagan should be made CM," said minister K Pardhasaradhi.

Just when the swearing-in ceremony got over, there was a heavy downpour in Hyderabad and an attack by honeybees at Raj Bhavan. Congressmen say they don't know if it is a good or a bad sign.

For the moment, they look at the Council of Ministers as a stopgap arrangement; something that will not prevent them from lobbying for Jagan to be made chief minister.