Congress set to meet to isolate YSR’s son

HYDERABAD - An emergency meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will be held here Wednesday evening to isolate party MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and condemn a programme aired by his TV channel, Sakshi, against party president Sonia Gandhi.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, who met party leaders in New Delhi Tuesday, announced last night after his return here that the CLP meeting would be held at 6.30 p.m. Wednesday.

While the agenda of the meeting has not been announced, party sources said it would pass a resolution condemning the programme telecast by Sakshi last week bitterly criticising Sonia Gandhi.

Several ministers and legislators loyal to Rosaiah met him Wednesday morning, discussed the latest political developments and assured their support. The leadership has asked all 156 legislators of the party to attend the meeting without fail. All MPs and legislators have also been directed to attend the meet.

Jagan, who is the son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy or YSR, however, is not likely to attend the meet while his loyalists are busy working out their strategy.

The meeting is an attempt to demonstrate unity in the party and isolate Jagan and his loyalists. Sources said this would pave way for the central leadership to act against the Kadapa MP for his repeated acts of defiance.

Congress general secretary incharge of party affairs in the state M. Veerappa Moily will attend the meeting as the central observer.

Rosaiah is believed to have called the meeting on the advice of senior party leaders, including minister A.K. Antony and Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, whom he met in New Delhi Tuesday.

The chief minister briefed the central leaders on how Sakshi aired the story, attacking Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, blaming her for the party’s defeat in some states and scams. The programme even termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as her rubber stamp.

Already under attack by Jagan and his loyalists and under pressure from their rivals to act, Rosaiah is likely to be emboldened by the meeting to crack the whip on two ministers loyal to Jagan.

B. Srinivasa Reddy and P. Subhash Chandra Bose had attended Jagan’s “odarpu yatra” recently, which he had taken out in defiance of the party leadership to meet the family members of those who died of shock or committed suicide after his father YSR died in a helicopter crash last year.

The central leadership is also keen to assess through the meeting as to how many legislators were with Jagan. It has already asked Rosaiah to keep a contingency plan ready in the event of Jagan loyalists pulling out.

Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), which has 18 legislators in the 294-member assembly, has already indicated it would support the government if the Jagan camp stages an open revolt.