Jagan firm to go on with 'Odarpu yatra'

The Congress High Command has taken a serious view  on rebellious Congress MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy over his controversial yatra, and  asked party MLAs not to join the Odarpu Yatra in Prakasam district scheduled to begin next month.

However, the Jagan camp has  made it clear that the 'Odarpu (consolation) Yatra' would continue."Ahmed Patel (Political Secretary of Congress President Sonia Gandhi) told us not to participate in the yatra. We will discuss the matter with our activists in my constituency and take a decision," Congress MLA from Prakasam district Ugranarasimha Reddy told reporters here.

Reddy and several other MLAs from the district met Patel in New Delhi yesterday. G Ravi Kumar, another Congress legislator from Prakasam district who also met Patel, expressed similar views.

Jagan plans to undertake the third phase of his yatra in Prakasam district from September 3, a day after his father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's first death anniversary.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Rosaiah is believed to have conveyed the high command's stand on the yatra to Mines Minister B Srinivas Reddy, who is making arrangements for the tour in Prakasam.

But the minister, a close relative of Jagan, told reporters that he would participate in the yatra because of his family ties.