Hyderabad:
The battle for the Chief Minister's chair in Andhra Pradesh is heating up. And there is a concerted but quiet campaign to get YSR's son Jagan Mohan Reddy into the top job.
Three different surveys by private agencies in the last one week have suggested that there is overwhelming public opinion to have YSR's son Jagan Mohan Reddy as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.
Two of them were commissioned by private television channels and one by a Congress MP. The government has, however, distanced itself from the surveys.
"Surveys are done by independent agencies, who do of their own volition. It is not done under the command of the government or the party," said Sridhar Babu, Higer Education Minister in AP government.
Within hours of news that YSR was no more, Telugu news channels were running SMS polls, suggesting upto 98 per cent of respondents want Jagan to become the Chief Minister. Posters asking for Jagan to be made CM appeared even before YSR's body was brought to his residence in Hyderabad.
The battle for and against Jagan Mohan Reddy is being fiercely fought at different levels. And it's happening not just in Hyderabad but in Delhi as well.
Trouble started for K Rosaiah even as he took over as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. His ministers were openly talking about replacing him.
"We are all ministers in his Cabinet. We will work together till a new leader is elected by the CLP," said A Ramanarayan Reddy, Municipal Administration Minister, Andhra Pradesh.
But the Chief Minister clarified that he was not facing any rebellion.
"All are working together with proper understanding. Absolutely there are no differences," Rosaiah said.
Sources close to Jagan argue that the high command cannot afford to ignore the ground reality. They, however, do not have a Plan B if Sonia Gandhi refuses to endorse Jagan's candidature. But they are certain there will be chaos in the Congress and that would mean advantage Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh.
Three different surveys by private agencies in the last one week have suggested that there is overwhelming public opinion to have YSR's son Jagan Mohan Reddy as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.
Two of them were commissioned by private television channels and one by a Congress MP. The government has, however, distanced itself from the surveys.
"Surveys are done by independent agencies, who do of their own volition. It is not done under the command of the government or the party," said Sridhar Babu, Higer Education Minister in AP government.
Within hours of news that YSR was no more, Telugu news channels were running SMS polls, suggesting upto 98 per cent of respondents want Jagan to become the Chief Minister. Posters asking for Jagan to be made CM appeared even before YSR's body was brought to his residence in Hyderabad.
The battle for and against Jagan Mohan Reddy is being fiercely fought at different levels. And it's happening not just in Hyderabad but in Delhi as well.
Trouble started for K Rosaiah even as he took over as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister. His ministers were openly talking about replacing him.
"We are all ministers in his Cabinet. We will work together till a new leader is elected by the CLP," said A Ramanarayan Reddy, Municipal Administration Minister, Andhra Pradesh.
But the Chief Minister clarified that he was not facing any rebellion.
"All are working together with proper understanding. Absolutely there are no differences," Rosaiah said.
Sources close to Jagan argue that the high command cannot afford to ignore the ground reality. They, however, do not have a Plan B if Sonia Gandhi refuses to endorse Jagan's candidature. But they are certain there will be chaos in the Congress and that would mean advantage Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh.
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