Jagan yatra today, party says severe action later

The Congress high command has hinted at severe action against the defiant Kadapa MP, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. When a group of MLAs and MPs met Mr Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, a few days ago, Mr Patel seems to have conveyed to them that the high command is contemplating disciplinary action against Mr Jagan for defying the directions of the party leadership on the manner of conducting his Odarpu yatra.

Mr Jagan has been touring several districts to console the families of those who allegedly died of grief on hearing of the death of his father and former chief minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, on September 2 last year.

Sources said, however, that no action is likely to be taken against Mr Jagan before September 2, the first death anniversary of Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy. “The high command’s thinking is that Jagan should not get overwhelming and sweeping sympathy before the death anniversary of his father as it will be embarrassing both for the Congress party and the state government, which will also observe YSR’s death anniversary,” the source informed.

Also, with the Congress presidentship elections presently midway, it will be only in the third week of September that Mrs Gandhi will take up party matters including issuing a show cause notice to Mr Jagan. That could be after Mr Jagan completes his scheduled yatra in Prakasam district that begins on Monday, said sources.

“The high command has sent out a message to all party MLAs and other leaders that the yatra does not have party approval, and it will observe the number of MLAs taking part in the yatra,” said a source, though no action will be initiated against the party MLAs at present to avoid any disturbance for the state government.