Supporters of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy demonstrate outside AP Congress office demanding his appointment as CM in Hyderabad on Sunday. — PTI |
Hyderabad, September 6
The shrill campaign for anointing YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister following his father YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s death took an ugly turn today with his supporters disrupting a condolence meeting organised by the state Congress committee.
Holding placards and raising slogans, the emotional Congress workers created a ruckus and prevented senior party leaders from speaking on the occasion, forcing the organizers to end the meeting abruptly. Utter chaos prevailed at Gandhi Bhavan, the party headquarters, as the restive crowd obstructed the proceedings. When the APCC chief D Srinivas rose to speak, he was heckled and booed.
As the situation spun out of control, acting CM K Rosaiah, Srinivas and other senior leaders left the venue in a huff. Later, YSR’s long-time friend and Rajya Sabha member KVP Ramchandra Rao made an emotional appeal to Jagan’s supporters to maintain restraint. “If you want his soul to rest in peace, please be calm,” he appealed with folded hands.
Hours later, Jagan, the 36 year old first-time MP from Kadapa, broke his silence on the succession issue and appealed to party men to maintain calm and wait for the high command’s decision.
“Our high command knows and more particularly our beloved leader Sonia Gandhi respects the public perception and feelings of lakhs of Congress Party workers and she knows too well what is good for all of us and what is good for our state and people,” he said.
He assured the agitating party workers that Sonia Gandhi would take a decision in such a way that his father Rajasekhara Reddy’s ideals, mission and zeal would not be compromised.
“I request you to await the decision of Sonia Gandhi on the issue of leadership and also urge you to abide by the decision,” he said in a message on his arrival from his native Idupulapaya after performing the last rites for his father.
Meanwhile, all the thirty-four members of YSR’s cabinet were sworn in by the Governor ND Tiwari at a solemn ceremony at Raj Bhavan today to fulfill a constitutional obligation. This was done based on a legal opinion that after the death of a CM, his or her council of ministers would have to take oath again under Article 164.
Soon after taking oath, the ministers called on Jagan Mohan Reddy to express their solidarity.
The AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh held a meeting with Rosaiah, Srinivas and other senior leaders and discussed the emerging situation in the wake of frenetic canvassing for Jagan’s candidature for CM’s post.
