Resignations by YSR Congress legislators: Advantage YS Jaganmohan Reddy

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.