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Cong ‘forgives’ Jagan, for now
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Short Relief? The Congress’ decision to forgive and forget Jagan’s insolence is perhaps governed by its timing. For the party, battling several issues at the Centre, the Sakshi TV controversy could not have come at a more inappropriate time. The feeling within the party is that some action is due against him, maybe at the end of winter session of Parliament.

New Delhi, November 23
The Congress, it seems, has given ‘rebel’ Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy another chance to toe the party line.

At the end of daylong meetings on Tuesday between senior party leaders and the beleaguered Karnataka Chief Minister K Rosaiah, it was decided not to penalise Jagan for the frontal attack launched by his TV channel Sakshi against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Explaining why Jagan was allowed to get away with open rebellion, a senior Congress leader said the “so-called attack” on PM and Sonia was aired by Jagan’s channel. “It is not as if Jagan appeared on the television to say all those things. There is something called the editorial freedom of a TV channel. Moreover, he has already explained what happened,” he said.

Even though Jagan may be safe for now, the way he has been openly defying party leaders the question is for how long.

The Congress’ decision to forgive and forget Jagan’s insolence is perhaps governed by its timing. For the party, battling several issues at the Centre, the Sakshi TV controversy could not have come at a more inappropriate time. The feeling within the party is that some action is due against him, maybe at the end of winter session of Parliament when Congress manages to get over the current crisis. Also, the party also does not want to open another front with a sharply divided party leadership in Andhra Pradesh.

On Friday, identical news reports carried by "Sakshi" TV and newspaper of the same name targeted Sonia's leadership, holding her responsible for the party's "degeneration." The report, which triggered political storm in the state, dubbed Prime Minister as "rubber stamp" and alleged that the UPA government was steeped in scams.

Both Rosaiah and the APCC chief submitted their assessment reports to the AICC on the "slanderous" news story. Political circles were also abuzz with speculation that Rosaiah might offer to step down in the wake of persistent attack by Jagan camp.

Rosaiah, who met senior party leaders, including Veerappa Moily, who heads the Congress' Disciplinary Committee, maintained he was in Delhi to discuss state affairs. The fact, however, is Jagan and the Telengana issue are among the two crucial issues staring him in the face. Rosaiah is understood to have met Sonia and briefed Chidambaram about latest political developments in the state.

Rosaiah has been facing frequent pinpricks from Jagan, who, it seems, is yet to make peace with the party’s decision to appoint Rosaiah as CM after his father YS Rajashekhar Reddy died in a helicopter crash last year. The septuagenarian leader was chosen by the party leadership to take over the mantle even though Jagan tried very hard to stake claim over his father's political legacy.