Viveka falls out with Jagan

HYDERABAD: The Congress leadership drew first blood in its battle with former MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. With Jagan falling out with his uncle Y S Vivekananda Reddy over the latter’s expression
Viveka falls out with Jagan
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HYDERABAD: The Congress leadership drew first blood in its battle with former MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. With Jagan falling out with his uncle Y S Vivekananda Reddy over the latter’s expression of loyalty to Sonia Gandhi and ‘desire’ for a place in the Kiran Kumar Reddy ministry, the party high command seems to have won the first round. Two confabulations between the two, mediated by family members, ended up in bitter argument and at the end of the day, the uncle left for Hyderabad, possibly to join the new ministry. The first encounter between the two took place at the family estate of Idupulapaya where the Y S Rajasekhara Reddy memorial stands and where members of the YS family, including Vivekananda Reddy, gathered to pay tributes to the late chief minister.

According to sources, when the two met this morning, Jagan is said to have harshly questioned his uncle for going to Delhi. Viveka, known for his soft and sober approach, made it clear he would not leave the Congress come what may.

The meeting lasted just a few minutes after which Viveka paid his respects at his brother’s memorial before going to Kadapa and calling a press conference.

To reporters, he said he would remain with the Congress till his last breath, the same kind of loyalty that his late elder brother had towards the party. While refusing to be drawn into a discussion on Jagan’s resignation, Vivekananda asserted there was no truth in his nephew’s allegations that the party is trying to divide the YS family.“I went to Delhi on my own hoping that I would be able to bring about a rapprochement between Jagan and the leadership. Nobody offered me a ministerial berth. It is a fact that I myself sought a berth in the Cabinet,” Vivekananda said.

Later in the night, Jagan and Vivekananda were brought together at the house of a relative C V Subba Reddy in Pulivendula with Jagan’s mother Vijayalakshmi also participating. But the conversation soon turned into an argument.

Jagan reportedly lost his cool and began shouting. Vivekananda Reddy, sources said, gave it back in full measure. After 15 minutes of fierce arguments, he came out of the house and left for Hyderabad.

At his press conference earlier in the day, Viveka said, “The Congress leadership always took care of my brother. He was made PCC chief when very young and when the time came, he was given the post of chief minister. The party fully backed my brother in whatever programme he sought to implement in the state.” Heaping praise on Sonia Gandhi, Vivekananda said she had treated party leaders like her sons.

“Even in regard to Jagan, she made it clear on more than one occasion that she would give him a position at the appropriate time.

But he has chosen to chart a different course and it’s up to him,” the MLC said.

“I will do whatever my leadership asks me to do,” was his response to a question whether he would contest against Jagan when the byelection takes place for the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly seats vacated by Jagan and Vijayalakshmi. “It’s not my concern. He has a right to choose his party just as I have a right to remain with the Congress,” Viveka said.

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