Exodus of His Men Forces Jagan to do Soul-searching
HYDERABAD: In what could be considered as a rare act for a regional party's satrap, YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has gone into a soul-searching mode and tried to elicit frank opinions on his working style from his party MLAs in order to stop the exodus of lawmakers from his party to the ruling TDP in Andhra Pradesh. With the TDP taking an aggressive posture and continues to be on the offensive against the YSRC by luring its MLAs, Jagan on Friday held an emergency meeting with his party legislators belonging to Prakasam, Guntur and Kadapa districts.
During the interaction continued in two spells, Jagan had a candid talk with his party MLAs to know the real reason behind the defections of his party MLAs to the TDP. As there is a talk within the YSRC circles that their party boss is not easily accessible to the party leaders, Jagan, during his consultations with his party leaders, is understood to have asked them to know whether they were not happy with his style of functioning. Sources said during the meeting while making references to the criticism that he has been adopting autocratic attitude towards his party men, the YSRC boss promised to the participants in the meeting that henceforth, he would be more liberal.
"Any of you can directly walk to me and express your views on any thing in the party. Together we can achieve anything. I believe in team work," Jagan was quoted as saying. As there is an argument within the YSRC rank and file that unlike his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who used to enjoy personal bonding and close relationship with all his followers, Jagan is still unable to build up personal relationship with his party men, the YSRC chief during his confabulations with the MLAs is learnt to have promised them that hereafter he would take steps to enhance face-to-face communication with each leader in the party.
According to sources during the interaction, besides seeking suggestions from the participants on the changes that need to be made to his working style, the YSRC boss is learnt to have discussed about the kind of inducements being offered by the ruling TDP to the YSRC MLAs to shift loyalties. "Please don't fall prey to the wicked plans of the TDP, which is a sinking boat. If you join the ruling party, you would be sidelined later. Wait for a few months, we will bounce back as people of the State are fed up with the anti-people policies of TDP government. I am sure, after one year, TDP leaders will make a beeline for joining our party," Jagan reportedly told his party men, in his bid to boost their morale.
Earlier, soon after his return from his native Kadapa district, the YSRC boss held meetings with these MLAs in two spells. First meeting was held at his Lotus Pond residence here in the morning. Later, second meeting was conducted at the Nampally CBI court premises where Jagan was required to attend a case related to his assets. As Jagan had to stay in the court premises till evening as part of court proceedings, during break, he interacted with his party MLAs from Prakasam district. After the meeting, party MLA David Raju said he had been contacted by the TDP leaders. He, however, stated, "I will remain in the YSRC forever."