Resignations by legislators loyal of YS Jaganmohan Reddy: Pressure on the ruling Congress

By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad, Aug 23: Legislators loyal to YSR Congress Party president
YS Jaganmohan Reddy wanted to kill two birds with one stone, when they
submitted their resignations to their Assembly membership.

Though they know that their resignations will not bring down the
Congress government immediately, the Jagan camp is sure that it will
definitely put the ruling party on political tenterhooks. Secondly,
the Jagan loyalists are sure of retaining their seats in the
by-elections given the immense popularity their young leader enjoys
among the masses in districts. The Odarpu (condolence) yatra
undertaken by Jaganmohan Reddy has been receiving unprecedented
response from people, particularly women and the youth.

If all the legislators, who resigned, retain their seats and return to
the Assembly as YSR Congress Party members, the ruling party will be
in definite trouble. It's strength in the House will be on real test.
The Jagan camp's strategy is also to keep the political pressure
building on the ruling party while the Central Bureau of Investigation
goes on with its probe into the wealth amassed allegedly through
illegal means by Jaganmohan Reddy.

The resignations are seen as a tactical move to put pressure on the
Congress so that the country's prime investigation agency, often
dubbed by the Opposition as Congress Bureau of Investigation, does not
cross the Lakshman rekha (arrest of Jagan) as part of its
investigation. This is quite clear when Jaganmohan Reddy's mother and
Pulivendula legislator Vijayamma dashed off a letter to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh alleging that the "CBI is being prompted" by the Centre
to conduct raids on the assets of Jagan and of those who had invested
in his firms.

The Jagan camp's decision to resign has not been taken on the spur of
the moment. It has been there on the minds of these legislators ever
since Jaganmohan Reddy returned to the Lok Sabha from Kadapa with a
never-before-attained majority. Vijayamma, too romped home from
Pulivendula Assembly constituency, which her husband Rajasekhar Reddy
once represented. But the legislators were waiting for some political
opportunity to justify their resignation.

The naming of late chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy has come in as a
god-sent opportunity for the Jagan group to hurry through the
resignations. This will help them gain sympathy from the public, as
YSR is still viewed as a messiah. The loyalists now plan a bus yatra
to districts to explain the circumstances leading to their
resignations. And if Vijayamma accompanies them, the Jagan camp will
only gain politically, making the electoral prospects of the ruling
party even bleak.