No hint of YSR Cong future options in Andhra

Is the YSR Congress (YSRC) going the Praja Rajyam Party way, finally merging with the Congress or supporting the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in the 2014 general elections? The answer is as twisted as the controversy surrounding the party’s stand on a possible alliance with the UPA governfment.

An inadvertent comment by YSRC honorary president Y S Vijayamma during a public protest that “future will decide” the possibility of the merger of her party to the Congress has once again brought to the fore the confusion prevailing in Jaganmohan Reddy’s party on possible alliances. The YSRC, in an effort to distance itself from the National Democratic Alliance, had voted for veteran Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee in the recently held presidential election. But  it denied any patch-up with the Congress.

It all started when Vijayamma was asked about the possibility of her party merging with the Congress, she had reportedly said “future will decide that.”

Taking a cue from this, it was noted that she has not ruled out the possibility. Asked specifically whether she would rule out the possibility of either YSRC’s merger or alliance with Congress, she said the future would decide that. “Jagan Babu has already said that we will not have any truck with the ‘communal’ NDA,” she said keeping her other options open.

Soon after her interview was carried in the media, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said that its stand is vindicated as Vijayamma has already admitted that her party would be merged with the Congress.

TDP spokespersons said that the possibility of a merger became evident when a book based on the diary of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was recently unveiled in New Delhi. They said top Congress leaders attending the programme was a clear indication of the imminent merger.

Reacting sharply to the reports, YSRC leaders said that media had misquoted Vijayamma.
In a two-line press release, Vijayamma said “the YSRC rules out merger with the Congress.” But little did they know that Vijayamma’s remarks had been not only recorded but also uploaded in YouTube.