Congress MLA R. Damodar Reddy has claimed that 15 MLAs and five to six MPs of the ruling party from Telangana were eager to join hands with Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
His claim was refuted by another party leader J.C. Diwakar Reddy who emphatically said that none of the 156 Congress MLAs would switch over to Jagan's camp. They would like to stay with the ruling party to curry official favour, he added. Mr. Damodar Reddy and Mr. Diwakar Reddy were talking to media persons in the Assembly lobbies separately.
Mr. Damodar Reddy said most of the Ministers were expecting mid-term polls to be ordered since several Congress MLAs were looking to Mr. Jagan. They were unhappy for not having say in the administration which was mostly handled by Congress high command. Even the posting of officers was done from New Delhi. As a result, officers visited corridors of power in the capital.
He disclosed plans of Congress MPs from Telangana to hold a dinner meeting in New Delhi later this month to discuss their strategy in the present circumstances marked by confusion. Party MLAs and MLCs from the region would also be invited for the meeting. Later, they would meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi.
He criticised Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan for reportedly presenting to the Centre a rosy picture about Telangana though the region had passed through a rough time due to the agitation for separate State.
The talk everywhere is how much strength that YS Jagan commands in the party. The congress high command is trying to put up a brave front by saying the he odes not command the loyalties of more than half a dozen MLAs.
However Jagan has proved that he has nearly 30 MLAs with him when he sat on a deeksha in Vijayawada. Almost 30 MLAs attended his deeksha and pledged their support to him.
The congress MP Sabbam Hari has now claimed that Jagan now commands the support of no les that 70 MLAs. If this is true then the days of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government are truly numbered.
The big question now on everyones mind is what it the real strength of Jagan. The congress party has come to the conclusion that Jagan at best commands the support of about 20-25 MLAs.
The figure may go up to 35 after the new cabinet is formed as many aspirants who are left out will get in touch with Jagan.
Still the figure is unlikely to cross 35 in the short term. So Jagan will not asks his MLAs to take any drastic step like resigning but bide his time till he gets more MLAs to support him.
2011/12/3 15:56:04 YSR Congress party president and Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday issued a stern warning to the MLAs who are supporting him to restrain from "playing double game."
"Either you stay with me, or leave the party. Don't behave like a cat on the wall," Jagan reportedly told 21 MLAs who attended the meeting held at his residence at Lotus Pond here on Saturday. Jagan was reportedly angry at reports that some MLAs who have earlier pledged support to him were in touch with the Congress leaders.
Later, briefing the media about the meeting, former minister Pilli Subhash Chandrabose said that MLAs associated with the YSR Congress party will support the No Confidence Motion in the assembly. He said the decision to support the TDP's move was taken as the State Government has totally ignored the welfare of farmers in the State.
Chandrabose said that the MLAs would defy the Congress party's whip to vote in favour of No Confidence Motion. He said the Jagan group MLAs were not afraid of Anti-Defection Law and would happily accept disqualification and then face by-polls.
The former minister said that the MLAs would meet again on Sunday evening to finalise the strategy for the No Confidence Motion. (INN)
2011/5/12 2:15:57 With all surveys predicting a clear victory for YS.Jagan Mohan Reddy and to his mother YS.Vijaya Lakshmi, Jagan is now cautiously making his moves to bring back all his followers in the Congress party into his fold. Since, the Congress leaders have made him cry during the election process, he now wants to take revenge on them by withdrawing his support to Congress party. Soon after he returned to Hyderabad on yesterday, he had a close door meeting with Congress MLAs at Hyderabad. Inside sources revel that as many as 20 MLAs have expressed their readiness to resign to their positions at any given moment. It is learnt that, they may quit their posts even before the verdict comes out (13th May). Hence, we may expect hectic political activity in the state during the next few days.
If, Jagan could influence more than 25MLAs in the ruling Congress party to withdraw their support to Government, Congress despite having support from Chiranjeevi may need to run around for support. Then, it may try to lure Jagan followers offering minister posts to enjoy their support. However, it is learnt that, around 21 MLAs in the Congress party have assured Jagan to resign at any time. Hence, we may see some political hectic activity during the next few days.
The resignations by Jagan followers come as a big blow to Congress party. The only one wise decision taken during the last one year by Congress party is dissolving PRP into it. This gave it a life support to keep afloat for a while.
The total number of MLAs in the state Assembly is 293 and the magic figure needed to stay in the power is 147. The present strength of Congress party including its allies parties is 155. With 27 MLAs leaving now it will 128.
After Jagans supporters withdrawing their support to the ruling Congress Government in the state it is still having 17 PRP, 7 Majlis and 3 independents MLAs in its side. (17+7+3=27) It means Congress still has the exact number of MLAs in its side and thus enjoys the confidence of the house.
However, it will be unbalanced and fall apart if its Telangana MLAs really want to sacrifice for the Telangana cause. Then, not even Chiranjeevi can save the Government.
Now, the tightrope walk begins for Kiran Kumar Reddys Government.
Jagan has showed his strength with his two day deeksha in Vijayawada. Nearly 30 MLAs, some MLCs and a couple of MPs visited the deeksha venue and showed their solidarity with Jagan.
Jagan now wants to show to Sonia Gandhi and the entire Delhi media that he commands a sizeable majority of MLAs support. So he has decided to conduct a one day deeksha in Delhi.
With the national media bound to take notice of his deeksha and his strength it will be a big embarrassment for the congress party and its chief Sonia Gandhi in particular.
2011/8/21 11:02:15 Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLA K Tarakarama Rao on Sunday stated that elected representatives of Telangana should bury their heads with shame after looking at Congress MLAs submitting resignations for their leader Jaganmohan Reddy, against whom the CBI has initiated a probe for amassing wealth illegally.
Talking to media persons at TRS Bhavan, Tarakarama Rao said the desicion to resign from MLAs post shows their commitment for their leader while the Telangana MLAs have not done so demanding statehood for the region despite the fact that over 600 people commit suicides from the cause. He asked the Telangana legislators to emulate Jagan's supporters.
The TRS MLA said the Congress has very lately realized that Jagan Mohan Reddy was indulged in corruption. If the CBI probe proves Jagan the corruption charges against Jagan, then the Congress party should be held responsible for encouraging his corruption directly, he said. He slammed the TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, a man who himself indulged in corruption, for participating in the anti-corruption agitation.
Slamming the Telangana ministers for attending duties, he challenged them to organize Telangana Liberation Day on September 17 on the lines of Maharashtra and Karnataka states. (INN)
Speaker asks for verification of pro-Jagan MLAs signatures
2011/8/26 8:45:31 Legislative Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar on Friday instructed the Assembly Secretary to verify the signatures of 29 MLAs who have submitted resignations in protest against the inclusion of YSR's name in the FIR registered by the CBI against Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy's disproportionate assets case.
The Speaker, who attended the office in the legislative assembly premises on Friday, took decisions on several issues which remained pending due to his officials tours. Regarding the anti-defection case against TDP MLA N Prasanna Kumar Reddy, the Speaker has asked him to appear in person on Aug 29th (Monday) at 4 pm. He is facing the charges of defecting to Congress party after being elected on TDP ticket. Sources say that the Speaker may pronounce his ruling on Monday.
Sources say that the Speaker Nadendla Manohar has also initiated the process of studying the fresh resignations submitted by the Telangana leaders. Meanwhile, suspended TDP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy along with his colleagues visited the assembly premises on Friday and distributed red roses among the staff and security personnel seeking their support for the Telangana state. According to sources, the fresh resignations submitted by the Telangana MLAs were also under the active considerations of the Speaker and he might take a decision soon.
Regarding pro-Jagan MLAs, the Speaker has asked the Assembly Secretary to verify the MLAs' signatures on the resignation letters with the original ones. Sources say that the Speaker might take a decision by next week. The Speaker has also decided to remove the Assembly Media Point with immediate effect. However, the same would be active only when the assembly is in session. (INN)
2012/3/3 3:47:52 The MLAs of YS Jagan Group on Saturday thanked Speaker Nadendla Manohar for disqualifying them from the State Legislative Assembly under the Anti Defection Act.
Talking to media persons after emerging out of meeting with YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy at Lotus Pond, five disqualified MLAs - Srinivasulu (Railway Koduru), Srikanth Reddy (Rayachoti), Chennakesava Reddy (Yemmiganur), P Ramakrishna Reddy (Macherla) and Sucharitha (Pattipadu) said that they were ready to face the by-elections. They said they would explain to the people about the circumstances that forced them to revolt against the Congress party to join the YSR Congress.
Sucharita said that the disqualified MLAs were fully confident of winning the by-elections with a huge majority. She said the YSR Congress would teach a fitting lesson to both ruling Congress and opposition Telugu Desam Party candidates. She said that the MLAs were feeling relieved after the Speaker's decision. “Now we can openly express our loyalty and support to former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy,” she said.
“While voting in favour of No Confidence Motion itself, we are fully conscious that our action would invite disqualification from the Speaker and we were waiting for his decision,” she said. Accusing the Congress and Telugu Desam party of having a secret pact to defeat the YSR Congress, the MLAs said “Our aim is to ensure that Jagan becomes Chief Minister in 2014 elections and we would make sincere efforts to achieve our goal," she said.
The MLAs said that YSR Congress party would not have tie-ups with any other party in the by-elections and go to the election campaign with farmers’ agenda.
Parakala MLA Konda Surekha expressed confidence that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi would not field candidate in the by-election as she has resigned for the cause of Telangana statehood following the directions of JAC. She hoped that the TRS and JAC would support her in the by-elections.
In the meeting, YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy reportedly told the disqualified MLAs not to lose self-confidence and go for by-election campaign with full trust on the people. “The by-elections will be a big test for the YSR Congress party,” he said. (INN)
2011/9/4 10:08:20 Former minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose on Sunday stated that the 29 pro-Congress MLAs will meet Governor ESL Narasimhan and Speaker Nadendla Manohar to press for acceptance of their resignations.
The MLAs have resigned to their post in protest against the inclusion of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s name in the CBI’s FIR in disproportionate assets’ case against Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy. The MLAs will meet the Governor and Speaker on Monday.
Talking to media persons after YSR Congress party legislators’ meeting held first time after submission of resignations; Bose said that the MLAs have unanimously decided to press for acceptance of resignations. The meeting held at Lotus Pond and chaired by party president Jagan Mohan Reddy was attended by 22 MLAs, MP Mekapati Rajagopal and two MLCs. He said the MLAs would meet Governor on Monday at 11 am and urge him to accept resignations of all 29 MLAs including one Praja Rajyam MLA Shobha Nagireddy and two TDP MLAs Balanagireddy and Nallapuneni Prasanna Kumar Reddy.
Bose said that the MLAs would also appeal to Governor to make efforts for removal of former chief minister YSR’s name from the CBI’s FIR. The MLAs would also make it clear to the Governor that they are withdrawing their support to the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy government. Later in the evening, all the MLAs will meet the Speaker requesting him to accept the resignation.
Meanwhile, Jaganmohan Reddy will be visiting the national capital New Delhi on Monday to garner support of national leaders against the on-going CBI probe against him. He would try to convince the non-Congress parties that the ruling party was resorting to political vendetta after his exit from the party. Subhash Chandra Bose told the media that Jagan Mohan Reddy will soon declare his assets on the lines of Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu to maintain transparency and to clear doubts among people about his wealth.
The former minister was confident that more MLAs would submit resignations in the coming days in support of Jagan. (INN)
2011/8/22 10:23:08 Telangana Lawyers and Doctors Joint Action Committee leaders on Monday met Telangana Congress Steering committee at Rajya sabha member K Kesava Raos residence seeking support for the peoples general strike.
Talking to media persons, Lawyers' JAC leader Sri Ranga Rao said that the Telangana Congress Steering committee has responded favourably and assured complete support to the peoples general strike. He reminded the Telangana Congress leaders that 26 Congress MLAs have submitted their resignations for the sake of YSR Congress party president Jaganmohan reddy against whom the CBI has initiated investigations for allegedly amassing wealth illegally. But the Telangana MLAs, MPs are not resigning from their posts despite more than 600 people comitting suicide for Telangana state formation. He advised the Telangana Congress leaders to emulate them and submit resignations.
If the Telangana Congress leaders fail to submit resignations now, he said the Telangana activists would boycott elected members and their family members in the region. He called upon the Telangana congress leaders to prove their commitment towards the Telangana state formation by submitting resignations. (INN)
2011/8/23 2:08:26 Irrigation Minister T G Venkatesh on Tuesday stated that the resignation of 26 Congress MLAs in favour of YSR Congress party president Jaganmohan Reddy, was a publicity stunt and they just wanted to attract media attention.
Talking to media persons at Emmanagur mandal in Kurnool district, Venkatesh said that the pro-Jagan Congress MLAs were trying to gain political mileage by submitting resignations to their elected posts and party primary membership in support of Jagan. However, he hoped that Speaker Nadendla Manohar would not accept the resignation and reject them similarly on the lines of Telangana Congress MLAs by terming them decision taken in `emotionally surcharged atmosphere.
Venkatesh said even the MLAs knew that their resignation would be rejected, but still they submitted the letters to blackmail Kiran Kumar Reddy Government. He said there was no immediate threat to the government and Kiran kumar Reddy would continue his full term. If the resigned leaders go for by-polls, then their chances of getting re-elected are bleak and their number would come down, he stated. (INN)
2011/9/4 10:21:38 Suspended Telugu Desam Party leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy on Sunday alleged that Speaker Nadendla Manohar was violating the constitution by not accepting the resignations submitted by the Telangana MLAs.
Talking to media persons, Nagam Janardhan Reddy condemned the Speaker ‘indifferent attitude’ in not taking any decision on acceptance of resignations despite several appeals. He said the Constitution has empowered an MLA to resign from the membership under one-line format. However, by not accepting the resignations, the Speaker is violating the constitution, he alleged.
Nagam said that he would launch ‘Jana yatra’ from Monday to stress the importance of formation of Telangana state. “The ‘Jana yatra’ will create awareness among the people and help in putting an end to the discrimination of Seemandhra people,” he stated.
Responding to resignation of three pro-Jagan MLAs from the region, he asked them to clarify whether they resigned for the cause of Telangana or Jagan Mohan Reddy. Stating that he would continue his agitation for Telangana statehood until Centre announces its decision, he expressed his total support for the employees’ general strike beginning from September 13 under the aegis of Telangana Political Joint Action Committee. (INN)
2011/12/3 16:01:23 Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao appealed to all MLAs from the Telangana region to vote in favour of the No Confidence Motion against the Kiran Kumar Reddy Government.
Talking to reporters after unveiling the statue of Shrikanth Chary, who committed suicide for the cause of Telangana, near Clock Tower here on Saturday, the TRS chief said that the Telangana MLAs should vote in favour of the motion as the same government was responsible for delaying the Telangana state.
Chandrasekhar Rao said that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has been using coercive methods to suppress the Telangana agitation and therefore, he must not be allowed to continue in power. He said the TRS would organise rallies and dharnas on Monday to mount pressure on Congress MLAs from the region to vote against the government. (INN)
The assembly witnessed several unruly scenes today. The TDP MLAs held placards with words like YSR Dongalamutha written on them.
This enraged minister and brother of YS Rajashekar Reddy YS Vivekananda Reddy. He went to the TDP MLAs and tore up the placards. He was not satisfied with this and he grabbed MLAs Chintamaneni Prabhakar and Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu.
The Jagan group MLAs rushed to support YS Vivekananda Reddy.
The assembly proceedings that were being telecast live was stopped immediately. By that time the damage had already been done.
2011/1/12 19:48:50 Congress high command which helplessly watched its MLAs standing beside Jagan in his recent Jala Deeksha held under its nose in New Delhi, has finally decided to initiate action against the decedents. But, since it fears its action may provoke Jagans camp which in return may lead to collapse of the state Government, Congress is making cautious steps in tackling the Jagans followers inside the party. First of all it plans to expel Konda Surekha, the former minister and the die hard follower of Jagan from the party and await for the reaction from Jagans camp, before taking any further steps in that direction.
On the other end Jagans camp is also patiently waiting for this out come from Congress party, so as it need not carry the blame of destabilizing the government. If, the Congress expels its MLAs from the party, it not only collapses the Government on its own but at the same time it helps Jagans camp to bag sympathy and praises. Then, Jagan can go to people and state that, he kept his promise of giving support to the state Government, but it has axed on its own will by expelling his father-selected-MLAs from the party. This is exactly what Congress doesnt want to happen for Jagan. This Tom and Jerry show will continue further as long either of the party loose its patience.
2011/12/6 12:57:56 The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Tuesday criticised the Congress MLAs from the Telangana region for voting against the No Confidence Motion against the Kiran Kumar Reddy Government.
Addressing a press conference at the Telangana Bhavan, TRS MLA K Tarakarama Rao said that the MLAs of Praja Rajyam Party and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen have bargained with the Congress Government to extend support to defeat the No Confidence Motion moved by the Telugu Desam Party. However, he said that the Congress MLAs from the region have missed the opportunity and failed to get any assurance on the Telangana statehood issue. "Why did they surrendered themselves before the Congress High Command?," he asked
Questioning the silence of Telangana Congress MLAs Tarakarama Rao said that the MLAs could have easily bargained for withdrawal of cases against the Telangana activists besides getting an assurance from the High Command on the statehood issue. However, without asking for anything, they simple voted to save the government, he said.
The TRS MLA was also critical of Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu for not speaking anything on Telangana. He said, "During the discussion, Mr Naidu spoke about 15 different topics. But he deliberately skipped the most important topic of separately Telangana." The TDP's Telangana MLAs, especially M Narasimhulu and Revanth Reddy enacted 'drama' by raising 'Jai Telangana' slogans in the assembly, he alleged.
Tarakarama Rao said that the people of Telangana region would teach a fitting lesson to both Congress and TDP MLAs for missing the opportunity to get an assurance on Telangana. (INN)
2011/3/8 7:11:11 Ambati Rambabu, the die-hard follower of YS.Jagan Mohan Reddy after a long silence has broken it with sensational news. Speaking to the media at Hyderabad, he said that, near about 100 Congress party MLAs were in continuous touch with Jagan Mohan Reddy and all of they were waiting for Jagans political party launching. They will come open once Jagan launches his party. He said that, even a hundred experts like Gulamnabhi Ajads cant save the Congress Ship from sinking into sea. He ruled out the rumors of Jagan joining the Congress party. He described it as a mind game played Congress high command some local leaders of the party to keep its MLAs and leaders intact.
Congress will sweep by-polls against Jagan: Panabaka
2011/8/28 8:45:14 Union Minister of State for Handlooms and Textiles Panabaka Laxmi on Sunday stated that former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy would not have tolerated the allegations that his son and Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy had allegedly amassed wealth illegally.
Talking to media persons, Panabaka Laxmi said that YSR himself would have ordered a probe if he would have learnt about Jagans alleged accumulation of wealth through illegal methods using his official position.
Describing their move as blackmail, Panabaka Laxmi also took serious note on the 26 Congress MLAs owing allegiance to Jagan resigning from the posts. She found fault in MLAs supporting a person, against whom the Central Bureau of Investigation probe going on in connection with disproportionate assets case. The MLAs who were elected on the Congress ticket has no moral right to support Jagan, she said.
Stating that the resignation of rebel MLAs do not pose any threat to N Kiran Kumar Reddy government, she said that the state would not witness any mid-term elections, in near future. She expressed confidence that the Congress candidates would win with huge majority in the event of by-polls in the state. (INN)
YSR Congress party president and Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday issued a stern warning to the MLAs who are supporting him to restrain from "playing double game."
With all surveys predicting a clear victory for YS.Jagan Mohan Reddy and to his mother YS.Vijaya Lakshmi, Jagan is now cautiously making his moves to bring back all his followers in the Congress party into his fold. Since, the Congress leaders have made him cry during the election process, he now wants to take revenge on them by withdrawing his support to Congress party. Soon after he returned to Hyderabad on yesterday, he had a close door meeting with Congress MLAs at Hyderabad. Inside sources revel that as many as 20 MLAs have expressed their readiness to resign to their positions at any given moment. It is learnt that, they may quit their posts even before the verdict comes out (13th May). Hence, we may expect hectic political activity in the state during the next few days.
The MLAs of YS Jagan Group on Saturday thanked Speaker Nadendla Manohar for disqualifying them from the State Legislative Assembly under the Anti Defection Act.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Tuesday criticised the Congress MLAs from the Telangana region for voting against the No Confidence Motion against the Kiran Kumar Reddy Government.
Ambati Rambabu, the die-hard follower of YS.Jagan Mohan Reddy after a long silence has broken it with sensational news. Speaking to the media at Hyderabad, he said that, near about 100 Congress party MLAs were in continuous touch with Jagan Mohan Reddy and all of they were waiting for Jagans political party launching. They will come open once Jagan launches his party. He said that, even a hundred experts like Gulamnabhi Ajads cant save the Congress Ship from sinking into sea. He ruled out the rumors of Jagan joining the Congress party. He described it as a mind game played Congress high command some local leaders of the party to keep its MLAs and leaders intact.
