Andhra's succession battle: Ministers, MLAs lobby for Jagan

YS Rajashekhar Reddy, one of Congress' most successful Chief Ministers was given a full state funeral in his hometown of Kadapa on Friday.

The party wanted to wait a bit before choosing his successor, but their choices are becoming limited. The MLAs are meeting on Saturday to push YSR's son Jagan as their choice.

And at YS Rajasekhar Reddy's funeral procession at Hyderabad's main stadium, K Rosaiah -- the stop gate Chief Minister appointed on Thursday -- was seen offering shoulder to his possible successor and YSR's son Jagan Reddy.

It was a powerful image of how grief -- still fresh -- is already giving way to the politics of succession.

The support for Jagan is not just limited to the frenzy of the mobs. Andhra Pradesh's entire Cabinet has faxed a resolution to Congress president Sonia Gandhi asking him to be appointed as the next Chief Minister.

Even Rosaiah said nothing will make him happier.

"There won't be any factionalism as the entire party is behind Jagan," chief whip of the party MB Vikramarka said.

It's a tightrope walk for the Congress high command, which doesn't want to be bulldozed into making a choice.

The Congress has clarified that while Finance Minister K Rosaiah has been sworn in as the new chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, this is a temporary arrangement.

"Jagan is a young dynamic leader. We need to go with public mood," Congress leader Veerappa Moily said.

Jagan is seen as inexperienced and also associated with some of the less savory financial dealings of his fathers regime. But even for its central leaders in Hyderabad, waking up to headlines of suicides provoked by YSR's death, the choice is becoming narrower.

So after YSR, who?  Jagan Mohan Reddy who is a first-time MP with a controversial media business that has been accused of corruption. S Jaipal Reddy, the Urban Development Leader is also in the running.

NT Rama Rao's daughter, currently a junior minister for Human Resource Development is the third contender. Finally, there's D Srinivas, the president of the state Congress party, who belongs to a backward caste.