The YSR Congress Party has authorised party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to decide on the stand the party should adopt on the presidential election scheduled for July 19.
“Both the presidential candidates have approached us and the we have unanimously adopted a resolution authorising YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to take a decision on voting,” party's Political Affairs Committee member Konathala Ramakrishna told reporters on Friday after the extended State Council meeting chaired by honorary president YS Vijayalakshmi.
The meeting adopted 10 resolutions which included failure of the state government to address the problems of farmers, growing attacks on Dalits, dilution of the welfare schemes introduced by YSR and the demand for a judicial inquiry into the way the CBI was investigating cases. The meeting also condemned the government's indifference to weavers, minorities, fishermen, tribal people and farmers.
The second Praja Prasthanam, to be held on July 8 to mark the birth anniversary of YS Rajasekhara Reddy, will be observed by the cadre to highlight the problems of farmers and the callous attitude of the state government to them. With no help coming from the state and farmers facing a near-drought situation, the rural region was heading for another crop holiday, he said.
The meeting demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash in 2009, saying that there were some doubts which were further strengthened by CBI's vindictive approach. The meeting alleged a joint conspiracy by the Congress, TDP, CBI and Jagan's business adversaries and demanded an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge.
Vijayamma briefed the members about her two-day Delhi visit and the assurances given by prime minister Manmohan Singh, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and other leaders to look into CBI's excesses against Jagan, and farmers' grievances in the light of the hike in fertilizer prices and the need for increasing input subsidy. She said she would be holding fort till Jagan took over the party's reins again.