Moily rebuts Jagan claim he’s got nod for rally
By IANSTuesday, June 1, 2010
NEW DELHI - Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Tuesday claimed that the Congress leadership had given the “go ahead” for his controversial rally in Andhra Pradesh in memory of his father, the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. But hours later, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily denied any such permission was given.
The Kadapa MP, known as Jagan, defied the party diktat and went ahead with his rally in the volatile Telangana region last week, triggering violence that necessitated his being taken into protective custody May 28.
After meeting Moily, the Congress leader in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Jagan said: “He (Moily) has given the go ahead to go and continue what I am doing.”
“There is no problem whatsoever. All misunderstandings have been cleared,” the 37-year-old, who enjoys the support of a vast section of Congress workers and leaders in the state, told reporters after meeting Moily.
Moily, he added, expressed his appreciation of the tour.
But hours later, Moily flatly denied having given Jagan any such permission. He said Jagan had not even broached the issue during their meeting earlier in the day.
“He did not seek permission. I did not give permission,” Moily told reporters here.
He said that the MP should not resume his rally even in the coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions for now.
Jagan flew to the capital to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi to explain his position but only managed an appointment with her political secretary and senior party leader Ahmed Patel apart from Moily.
