New Delhi/Hyderabad, Oct 22 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh MP and the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, whose supporters have been demanding that he be made chief minister, Thursday met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and said he would abide by her decision on state politics.
The Kadapa MP told reporters after his meeting with the Congress president that they discussed the political situation in the state. The meeting was significant in view of the demand by a section of party leaders to make Jaganmohan Reddy chief minister.
“We discussed at length the party situation in Andhra Pradesh. She was briefed on the party situation and after the briefing she said, ‘Jagan I am here to care of everything’,” he said.
“I have full confidence in her and whatever decision she takes we would abide by it,” Jagan added.
The first time MP refused to answer when asked if he wanted to become the chief minister. “I don’t want to comment on these speculations,” was all he said.
During the hour-long meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Jagan was accompanied by his late father’s close aide and Rajya Sabha MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, who has been lobbying for Jagan.
Congress general secretary in charge of party affairs in the state Veerappa Moily also joined the meeting.
During the meeting, Jagan presented his case before Sonia Gandhi and also brought to her notice the support he enjoyed among party legislators and MPs, party insiders said.
Jagan was on his first visit to the national capital after his father, known as YSR, died in a helicopter crash on Sep 2. Though Finance Minister K. Rosaiah immediately took over as the chief minister, YSR loyalists in the cabinet, state legislators and MPs had been demanding that Jagan be made the chief minister.
A few YSR loyalists among the ministers have even threatened to quit but the central leadership has so far done nothing to clear the uncertainty.
Though it was not clear that the 37-year-old would be made chief minister, the Jagan camp in Hyderabad was upbeat after his meeting with Sonia Gandhi.
Sources in the party said Sonia Gandhi might also make him a minister in New Delhi or use his services for the party.
“She knows Jagan’s strength and how best to make use of it,” party leader and chief whip Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who was the first to launch a signature campaign among legislators in favour of Jagan.
“Jagan has been maintaining the same stand from the beginning. The Congress is an extended family. Sonia Gandhi is the eldest one in the family and her decision will be in the interest of the people and the party,” he told reporters.