Cong-Jagan deal buzz in H'bad

Tuesday’s meeting between Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and YSRCP president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy at Chanchalguda jail continued to spur speculations even on Wednesday with political circles claiming that a deal has been offered to Jaganmohan Reddy.

Asad, who is also the president of Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), is said to have communicated the offer of the Congress high command in the half-an-hour-long meeting. 

The olive branch means a passage out of the charges of corruption and money laundering for the Kadapa MP who is in jail since May 27.

“Even though a safe passage to Jagan at this stage of CBI investigation looks difficult, some kind of relief might be on the cards,” a  senior Congress leader said.

Adding strength to the rumors was Asad’s remark that he asked Jagan to support the UPA’s Presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee. Sources confirmed that the two leaders discussed the current political situation as well as the stand of their respective parties.

“Jagan said he will take a decision after discussing the issue with his party leaders,” Asad told reporters.

 However, Asad did not reveal whether he had taken up the issue at the behest of the Congress or the UPA. 

He said despite the recent drubbing in the by-elections, the Congress government will continue in Andhra Pradesh.

Asad has been sympathetic towards late YS Rajashekhara Reddy and has gone on record saying that it was uncivilised and in bad taste to level allegations against YSR who was no more. “Nobody should talk ill of a person who is no more,” he had said. 

On the charges against Jagan, Asad merely said that matters were before the court and the truth will come out.

Asad has been a supporter of the UPA since 2004 and enjoys a good rapport with the top leadership of the alliance, particularly with Sonia Gandhi. Apart from an MP, MIM has seven MLAs. The YSRCP, on the other hand, has two members of Lok Sabha and 17 MLAs in its fold.

YSRCP sources said that Jagan will have to decide against supporting NDA candidate to keep his secular credentials leaving no option but supporting UPA candidate. However, the party is equally worried that any support to UPA, which is led by the Congress, would dent his image.