Hyderabad:
The MLAs who are loyal to Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy would support the no-confidence motion against the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh if it moved "with sincerity" by the main opposition Telugu Desam, the YSR Congress said here tonight.
Of the 28 MLAs who had resigned in August to protest the reported inclusion of late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's name in the FIR in a case involving Jagan, 22 attended the marathon meeting today, said Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, a Congress Lok Sabha member who is with YSR Congress. Jagan himself was not present as he was on his odarupu yatra in Guntur district.
The meeting assumed significance, after the Telugu Desam said it would move a no-confidence motion against the Congress government in the winter session of the Assembly.
Rajamohan Reddy said six MLAs could not attend the meeting, due to various reasons. Most of the MLAs originally belonged to the Congress.
However, two Congress MLAs, Jayasudha and N Sesha Reddy, who were with Jagan, have since decided to stay with the parent party, the Congress.
Asked to elaborate on the remark that the TDP should be 'sincere', Reddy said the main opposition party should ensure that all its MLAs attend the session and voted in favour of the no-confidence motion.
When asked if Jagan-loyalist MLAs may not be sincere in their opposition to the government as many of them have been participating in official programmes, he said he could not talk about the qualities of individuals.
Significantly, Reddy added that "the MLAs have left it to the Speaker to take a decision" on the resignations submitted by them earlier.
When told that several Jagan-loyalist Congress MLAs had indicated the intention to continue in Congress till the 2014 assembly elections, he said they had no option, if the resignations were not accepted by the Speaker.
Saying that YSR Congress did not have the strength to topple the government, he said the onus to do so was on TDP.
The Speaker had recently accepted the resignations of Nagam Janardhan Reddy, a rebel TDP MLA who resigned in support of a separate Telangana state, and N Prasanna Kumar Reddy, also a TDP rebel, who switched loyalties to Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The resignations of about 80 others, who quit in support of a separate Telangana state and to join Jagan Reddy, are pending with the Speaker.