Delhi yet to decide,state Cong chorus loud & clear: Son as CM

Health and Family Welfare Minister Danam Nagender said 118 MLAs — of the 156 — have signed a letter with that demand. Small Scale Industries Minister D K Aruna said that when Rajiv Gandhi could be made Prime Minister after the death of Indira Gandhi,“why not Jagan Mohan after YSR?” These MLAs plan to submit their petition to Congress President Sonia Gandhi who along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to arrive in Hyderabad tomorrow.

Among the thousands gathered at Begumpet Airport and outside the CM’s residence right through the day today,there were several holding placards reading “We want Y S Jagan as CM.” A group of at least 12 MPs,led by Vundavalli Arun Kumar,MP from Rajahmundry,gathered in the Lake View Government Guest House even as the CM’s body was being airlifted to Hyderabad from Kurnool.

The MPs called up several MLAs to seek their opinion and by evening,just before the bodies arrived,their demand was official: Jaganmohan Reddy should be the next Chief Minister. This despite the fact that Finance Minister K Rosaiah took oath as interim Chief Minister.

The ruling party’s central leadership was non-committal though. “These are emotional reactions,let’s see how they play out. As for Jagan Mohan Reddy or somebody else,we have not taken any decision yet,” a senior Congress leader told The Indian Express. A section of the central leadership is learnt to have reservations about 36-year-old first-term MP Jagan Mohan’s installation as CM given his lack of experience and the recent controversies involving his business ventures.

In an emotionally charged atmosphere — in a state which delivered the party its largest chunk of MPs — the party leadership could find itself in a tricky situation. YSR was the face of the party in Andhra and there is no leader — outside his family — who could claim his legacy. Any attempt to impose a leader who is not perceived as YSR’s “true inheritor” could re-ignite dissidence and factionalism.

Moreover,the son is considered popular in Rayalaseema. “Reddy” happens to be the other important factor. The strong Reddy community does not want the baton to be passed to anyone else except another Reddy. The existing Cabinet itself has 11 Reddy ministers — of the 156 Congress MLAs,45 are Reddys,and eight of the 33 MPs are Reddys.

The Congress’s central leaders who have flown in for the funeral tomorrow suggested that Rosaiah could continue until the situation “stabilises.” After all,Rosaiah,has been a Minister in as many as five Congress state governments. But the pressure to name the son as the successor is growing.

Jagan Mohan has extensive interests in mining in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. He is the owner and editor of Sakshi,a Telugu daily and a 24-hour news channel. In a joint venture with the National Academy of Construction,he established the Kadapa Technical Training Institute (KTTI). He is promoting the Rs 500-crore Raghuram Cements in Kamalapuram Assembly constituency and a cement sack unit at Pulivendula in Kadapa.

In New Delhi,after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) met to condole YSR’s death,Sonia Gandhi said,“We waited and hoped day and night. We hoped YSR would be back on his feet alive. Sadly,at 8.20 a.m. today,we got this terrible news. For me,it is a huge loss. It is a loss for the party. It is a loss for Andhra Pradesh.”

Recalling YSR’s rise,she said,“He was a dedicated party worker. It was actually his historic padayatra in 2004 which was instrumental in bringing the Congress back to power after 10 long years. He was a man of vision,dynamism and a very hardworking person.” Gandhi recalled how before the last Lok Sabha election,she was “very anxious” about Andhra Pradesh,“but every time he kept telling us ‘Please trust me. I know the people of Andhra Pradesh. I and my colleagues have done good work and we will surely come back’. My heart goes back to him and all those who traveled with him but did not return.”

The Prime Minister said: “The Congress Party has lost an outstanding Chief Minister who played a stellar role in returning the Congress to power. He devised a large number of programmes for farmers and the downtrodden. In 5 years and 3 odd months,he made a profound statement about his leadership. Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a role model of governance. Andhra Pradesh has lost a Chief Minister who was known for dynamism and sense of commitment. He always carried forward the ideas,ideals and vision dear to the Congress.”