Hyderabad:
A fresh war of nerves has begun between the Congress leadership and Jaganmohan Reddy. YSR's son insists that he will go ahead with his 'Odarpu Yatra' in Prakasam district from September 3, despite Pranab Mukherjee's reported warning that going ahead with the tour will invite disciplinary action. (
Read: Congress warns Jagan of disciplinary action if yatra resumes)
Jagan's camp reiterates it is his personal programme and the Congress party has no locus standi to instruct him not to meet and console families in which someone died after YSR's death. The Congress is upset because it feels Jagan has turned the yatra into a show of strength, and has repeatedly taken potshots at the Rosaiah government.
But even after all Congress MLAs and MPs from Prakasam district were summoned to Delhi and told to keep away from Jagan's yatra, not everyone fell in line. Like mining minister Srinivas Reddy, who is Jagan's relative.
"We have decided to go ahead with yatra and even prepared the route map. Villagers and party workers are asking their respective constituency MLAs to attend for yatra, as they won the elections last year because of YSR," said B Srinivas Reddy.
Union minister of state and NTR's daughter Purandareswari's statement that the Congress would conduct its own meetings to console those bereaved, has also irked Jagan's supporters.
"People are waiting for Jagan's yatra, whoever comes or won't come, it won't stop," said one of the supporters.
Jagan's opponents and fence-sitters have been directed to avoid commenting on him, and let Delhi handle the young MP.