K Rosaiah was sworn in as caretaker Chief Minister on the death of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter last Wednesday.
The ceremony also sent a message to the ministers who are leading a campaign to install YSR’s son Y S Jaganmohan Reddy as Chief Minister that the party high command would tolerate no rebellion.
Those who had threatened to resign if Jagan was not sworn-in took a fresh oath of office and decided to hold their horses.
But not for long, since immediately after the swearing in, the Jagan loyalist-minsters requested the Congress high command to hold a legislature party (CLP) meeting after the mourning period over the death of Y S Rajsekhara Reddy ends.
“After the mourning period is over, we are expecting anytime the high command will decide the Congress Legislature Party meeting’s date,” Anam Ramanarayan Reddy told reporters after taking oath as minister afresh. Such were the apprehensions over the loyalists’ plans that during the oath ceremony for the first time the press was kept out of Raj Bhavan and only a live feed was provided to the television channels by the government.
Peace was made after YSR’s close friend and advisor to the state government K V P Ramachandra Rao intervened on the suggestion of the party high command and persuaded the Jagan loyalists to join the cabinet under Rosaiah and take oath.