Jagan's supporters demand he be made next Andhra CM

Hyderabad, Sep 6 (PTI) Notwithstanding the Congress high
command's call for restraint till the period of mourning for
Y S Rajasekhara Reddy is over, supporters of his son Y S
Jaganmohan Reddy on Sunday openly demonstrated their demand
for making him the next Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

The emotional outpouring of their demand apparently in a
bid to put pressure on the Congress leadership was made at the
end of a condolence meeting for Rajasekhara Reddy organised by
the state PCC at its headquarters here in the presence of
interim Chief Minister K Rosaiah, PCC President D Srinivas,
Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy and a couple of YSR detractors
V Hanumant Rao and K Kesava Rao.

A majority of the crowd assembled at the meeting, most of
them young supporters of Jaganmohan including women, waited
for the condolence resolution to be adopted and observance of
the customary 2-minute silence in memory of the departed to
break out into a spontaneous shouting in favour of the late
leader's son's ascension to the Chief Minister's post.

"We want Jagan," shouted the supporters who carried
pictures of Jaganmohan and that of his late father Rajasekhara
Reddy.

Jaganmohan himself was not present on the occasion. He
had just arrived here from Idupulapaya, two days after last
rites for his late father.

Appeals to Jaganmohan's supporters to be calm since it
was supposed to be a silent mourning fell on their deaf ears
as the shouting reached a crescendo.

"VHR go back" was one of the posters, which was an
obvious reference to Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian
Parliament) member V Hanumant Rao, who had Saturday criticised
the comparison of Jaganmohan to Rajiv Gandhi who had taken
over as Prime Minister after Indira Gandhi's assassination.

As the sloganeering continued, the leaders assembled on
the stage quietly left the auditorium. Hanumant Rao and
Kesava Rao, another Rajya Sabha member, who had also
criticised attempts at "dynastic succession", left along with
other leaders.

As the situation looked going out of control, K V P
Ramachandra Rao, Rajya Sabha member who was adviser of YSR,
took the mike to appeal for calm. This also did not calm
Jaganmohan's supporters and Ramachandra Rao burst into tears
invoking the memory of Rajasekhara Reddy and said his soul
would rest in peace only if they remain calm.

He said Congress President Sonia Gandhi was fully aware
of YSR's popularity with the masses and the support enjoyed by
Jaganmohan with YSR supporters and Congress workers.

As the restive supporters of Jaganmohan started listening
to him, he appealed to them to observe a two-minute silence
which they heeded. But the moment it was over, the crowd
again resumed slogan shouting at which the meeting dispersed.

On Saturday, the Congress high command had counselled
supporters of Jaganmohan, including ruling party's chief whip
in the assembly Mallu Batti Vikramarka, to cancel a meeting of
MLAs to demonstrate their demand for making the late leader's
son the next Chief Minister.

Union Law Minister and Congress party in-charge of Andhra
Pradesh M Veerappa Moiley said on Saturday that the party
would not apply its mind on the succession issue till the
mourning period is over.

Earlier at the meeting, condolence messages hailing the
leadership of Rajasekhara Reddy were read out. The resolution
adopted at the meeting also hailed him as a mass leader who
had worked tirelessly for the poor through welfare schemes,
including those for women and irrigation projects. A message
from the Dalai Lama condoling the death was also read out.
PTI VSC