Cong attack on Sakshi continues

Jagan weighs his options; Rosaiah to protest his marginalisation in state

Chief Minister K Rosaiah is leaving for Delhi on Tuesday morning to explain the anti-party activities of Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan which included consistent campaign against the state government and the central leadership.

This is not the first time that the Andhra Pradesh chief minister has joined issue with Jagan. In July last when the Kadapa MP decided to launch his “Odarpu Yatra,” Rosaiah conveyed his defiance and made efforts to garner support of several ministers and MLAs which prompted the high command to issue a diktat against participation in the Yatra.

The Sakshi channel repeated a censored version of the programme “Hasta Gatham” twice during the day. Hasta gatham in Telugu also means capture or monopoly over some thing. The channel also unleashed a campaign against other Congress men who shifted allegiance after taking benefits from Y S Rajasekhar Reddy.

Media sources revealed that the channel had readied two more programs damning the party high command including Sonia Gandhi, Rosaiah and AICC general secretaries who, according to it, were all beneficiaries of YSR’s gratis in the past.

“We have aired this programme after  three months of  wait,” says a Sakshi source contending that they had  many more damning  reports and programme ready on the slot.  “All depends on how the high command will act against Jaganmohan Reddy in the coming days,” they contend.

But Congress leaders close to Jagan rule out any blackmail by him and say that the party will be the greatest loser if they throw him out. “Jagan is also not keen to float a party against the Congress which he assiduously built in Andhra Pradesh from ashes. When YSR took over the Congress in 1994 the party had just 28 MLAs which he grew to a 90-plus party in the 1999 elections.”

Jaganmohan Reddy is said to be presently holed up at his estate in Bangalore where his supporters held a conclave on Sunday after the outburst of AP Congress men.
State intelligence reports that six ministers who came to Bangalore on way to Puttaparthi for Sai Baba birthday celebrations also called on Jagan.

Jagan is weighing his options over quitting the Congress but a lot will depend on what would happen at the Rosaiah-Moily meeting in Delhi on Tuesday.

His close aides said he had advised supporters, including MLAs, MLCs, MPs and ministers, not to precipitate the situation till he finally decides his future.

Rosaiah also consulted his close associates at his camp office at Begumpet and drafted a document to explain how he is being marginalised in the state and the need for action against Jagan.

Meanwhile, local scribes association expressed solidarity with Sakshi and condemned the attack on the channel’s offices across the state by Congress workers.