Jagan told to abandon 'Odarpu Yatra'

The message is clear but not loud. The `Odarpu Yatra’ launched by Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and the violent incidents that followed at Mahbubabad and elsewhere in Telangana region  only fomented Telangana issue once again. The unruly incidents happened at a time when the politically charged atmosphere in the state was calming down.

Keeping a close watch on the latest happenings in the state, the Congress High Command reprimanded the Kadapa MP and asked him not to resume the `Odarpu yatra’ on June  8 as scheduled.

According to sources close to the High Command, the Yatra taken up by Jagan only increased the annoyance of the party leadership. In desperation, when Jagan sought an audience with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he was asked to abandon his `Odarpu’ march first before he tried to seek Sonia's interview.

In the last couple of days when Jagan went to Delh and waited for an appointment with Sonia, she showed her displeasure by not giving him an appointment.  Instead, her political secretary Ahmed Patel gave Jagan a sharp dressing-down for his defiance and asked him not to indulge in any loose talk.

It was  reported that Jagan's mother and MLA YS Vijaylakshmi wrote to Sonia Gandhi seeking her appointment.  Sonia insisted that Jagan first pronounce that he would bide by the High Command’s decision and only then would she consent to an appointment.

Discipline in the party is of prime importance than individuals, the  Congress sources said. Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukhejerje was asked not to encourage Jagan in any way. Even the  Pradesh Congress Comitteee chief D Srinivas evaded direct questions pertaining to Jagan and said it was an internal matter of the Congress Party.