Epaper
This is the name on everyoneâs lips in Andhra Pradesh now. Two most popular leaders of Andhra Pradesh â NTR and YSR have certain someone today that equals them already and certainly can grow bigger than both of them. YS Jagan IS the most popular leader of Andhra Pradesh and none of the present day politicians in any party can match him. I am not even going to worry about comparing him to the CM of AP, other so called senior leaders, the movie actor turned political joker, the backstabber, and mother of fake sacrifices from Italy and her bachelor son that will never be the PM if they keep their path of destruction in Andhra Pradesh. The time has come for the mother and son to acknowledge the truth everyone in Andhra Pradesh knows – YSR was the sole reason for Congress resurrection in the state and they cannot erase his memory from peoplesâ souls however hard they may try.
Most of the Congress cadre and people are behind Jagan and some independent thinking people are supporting him too for his unbending and donât care attitude towards Congress High Command and the rule of Delhi. While Congress party under YSR got 36.5% in a three way battle in the last elections, Jagan has the capacity to cross 40% of votes if he forms a separate party. Congress party under these seniors, Rosayya and Sonia may not cross 10% of votes in most constituencies, losing deposits.
Congress High Command and Rosayya do not seem to have learned anything from the popular support Jagan has been getting in his Odarpu Yatra in Srikakulam and East Godavari. Most Congress supporters, Village/Mandal/District level leaders are with him. The whole cadre is behind him. Even if MLAs do not support Jagan to keep their power for some more time, they are well aware of the fact that they will never be able to come back to power with the help of the Congress High Command. They have to completely depend on Jagan to get through. The reasonable estimate is that at least 70 MLAs are behind him. That should be enough to overthrow the state government that was in fact brought in to power by Jaganâs father, the great YSR.
To suspend Ambati Rambabu, a staunch YSR follower is to threaten Congress MLAs and Ministers not to go close to Jagan or else kind of statement. This will not slow Jagan a single iota. He will have his own say against Congress High Command and Rosayya government. He wonât budge. He never budged in front of Congress High Command. He chose his own destiny by going to Odarpu Yatra, despite clear directive from Sonia Gandhi. Now the MLAs and ministers have to decide if they want to be on Congress High Command side or peopleâs side.
Congress High Command proved that there is no democracy in their setup. They did not suspend anyone when some so called senior leaders criticized YSR when he was the Chief Minister and after his death too. They did not suspend anyone when the same so called leader keep saying Congress party should not contest in the Telangana bi-elections and the party candidates will lose their deposits. They did not suspend Rayapati Sambasiva Rao for attacking Kanna Lakshminarayana, a cabinet minister in the same Rosayya government or the so called seniors when they attacked another cabinet minister Ponnala Laksmaih. This argument proves that Congress High Command wants things their way or else!
The first leg of Odarpu Yatra went on fine in West Godavari and Khammam, the second leg was foiled by spineless Congress leaders, Congress High Command and Rosayya colluding with TRS.
Congress High Command and Rosayya tried very hard to stop Jaganâs latest tour of Srikakulam and East Godavari. But he never got frightened and went on by showing his courage and logical thinking. Majority of Congress people and independents supports his open defiance and it shows in the reception he got in both the districts and internal polling of the Jaganâs camp.
YS Rajasekhara Reddy ended his historic Padayatra in Ichapuram and logically speaking YS Jaganâs historic path breaking yatra (journey) started in the same Ichapuram and will go farther than that of the two most popular leaders of Andhra Pradesh, NTR and YSR. In a sense, Jagan is starting where both those great leaders left off.
Go Jagan Go. Roar like a tiger. Make us all proud.
Gurava Reddy, Atlanta
The views expressed in the article are the author’s and not of greatandhra.com.