Moving cautiously to defuse the tricky post-YSR situation in Andhra Pradesh, the Congress high command has initiated steps to prevent its MPs from the state from becoming party to any enterprise like the signature campaign favouring YS Jaganmohan Reddy for chief minister by a majority of its MLAs in the state.
On the directive of the party leadership, Congress managers on Wednesday talked to the 33 MPs from the state in groups, securing pledges from them that they would abide by the high command?s decision on Andhra Pradesh. The Congress move came even as KVP Ramachandra Rao, close confidant of the late chief minister YSR Rajasekhara Reddy, who is now leading the campaign for Jaganmohan?s claim to head the state, is in the capital and in touch with MPs who are part of the YSR group.
Senior AICC functionary Keshava Rao, who was never known to be close to the late chief minister, was among those herding Andhra MPs to 10 Janpath, party circles said. On Wednesday evening he is understood to have taken two groups of MPs, first to Ahmed Patel and then for an audience with Sonia Gandhi. Among others who met the Congress president were urban development minister Jaipal Reddy and former Union minister Renuka Chowdhury.
Congress circles concede that out of 33 MPs, at least 15 were known loyalists of the YSR camp. ?It is these 15 MPs that we are working on,? said a senior party leader. Sending home the message that there could be some trouble on this front, a group of five MPs led by Ponnam Prabhakar, who have backed Jaganmohan for chief minister, had earlier met AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh. Prabhakar later told reporters that that they had conveyed their feelings to the high command and were confident the party leadership would take a decision that would be acceptable to all sections.
While conceding the situation was slippery, Congress leaders expressed confidence that they would be able to tackle the matter without letting the primacy of the party high command be put to test. Jaganmohan Reddy?s camp led by Ramachandra Rao also did not seem to be gearing for a confrontation even though in an extreme scenario, it could split the Congress in the state and try to form a separate government with the help of Chiranjeevi and the TRS. Any such scenario would also impact dynamics at the Centre, party leaders admitted.
After his meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi yesterday where she told him that she would consult all concerned before taking a final decision on the leadership issue, Ramachandra Rao called on the PM on Wednesday. ?The Prime Minister knows everything about the political situation in the state. He is also aware of the people?s and partymen?s sentiments. I do not have to explain the details to him,? Rao told reporters after the meeting.