Loyalists’ cry did more harm than good.
A month after YSR Reddy’s death, it looks like his son YS Jaganmohan Reddy might have missed the chief minister’s bus, thanks also to the clamour by his loyalists. Congressmen have been protesting ever since K Rosaiah was made chief minister a day after YSR died in a copter crash on September 2.
They want the high command to make Jagan CM. But, “It looks like the loyalists have overdone it. Instead of doing good to Jagan, the campaign has forced the high command to be stubborn,” a young MLA in the Jagan camp said.
“The high command is busy with elections in some states. Besides, there is already a CM in the state. There has to be a good reason to replace him,” a senior Congressman said.
Jagan loyalists began their campaign early, even as YSR’s mortal remains were being lifted from the accident site.
Half a dozen loyalists collected signatures of all MLAs and ministers who came to pay their tributes. “They (the loyalists) asked me to sign on a document, even as I was shocked on seeing YSR’s coffin. I thought it was a condolence resolution for YSR. Does it mean I was consciously supporting Jagan’s candidature?” Secunderabad Cantonment MLA K Shankar Rao said.
The signature campaign strategy has boomeranged, senior leaders say. “The high command did not like the pressure tactic.” With New Delhi not yielding, some signatory state ministers abstained from work for a week. But the party leadership asked them to fall in line.
Reddy loyalists then disrupted the party’s membership enrolment programme. At Khammam, they destroyed a poster of Sonia with former minister Renuka Chowdhury. Another group destroyed two APSRTC buses in Rajahmundry. The high command is furious but Jagan loyalists blame some senior Congressmen for blowing the incident out of proportion.
Meanwhile, the shock deaths post YSR’s death have turned into a major issue. “Some people might have died of shock, but to say that all 600 died of shock is incorrect. YSR is definitely popular, but is he more popular than Indira or Rajiv Gandhi?” V Hanumantha Rao, a senior leader, said. There was an uproar over his comments but he said, “They are spoiling Jagan’s chances.”
Party sources said the high command has given enough indications Rosaiah will stay. Rosaiah is likely to move to the CM’s office on October 5. He will also shift to the CM’s official residence at Begumpet as YSR’s family is moving out. He might even reshuffle his cabinet soon.
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