Jagan defensive, says rally was for father
May 31st, 2010 - 2:34 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Monday defended his controversial rally that triggered violence in Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh and said it was for his father, the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who died in a helicopter crash last year.
“Whatever I’m doing is for my father. I’m sure the Congress president will understand my point,” the Kadapa MP, known as Jagan, told reporters here.
The son of the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister, who reached the national capital Sunday to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, has sought an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders, said party sources.
The central leadership of the party had asked him not to conduct the rally in Telangana in view of the tension prevailing there over the separate statehood issue.
Senior Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had Saturday asked Jagan to call off his rally.
Defying the directive, Jagan embarked on the rally May 28, triggering violence between his supporters and opponents as he was taken into preventive custody while on his way to Mahbubabad in Warangal district.
Jagan reiterated that the rally was to console family members of those who committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father, then chief minister, in a helicopter crash last year.
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- Jagan plays Telangana card, one injured in firing (Roundup, superseding earlier story) - May 28, 2010
- Jagan held ahead of yatra, one killed (Lead) - May 28, 2010
- Telangana activists call for shutdown against firing (Lead) - May 29, 2010
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- YSR's son resumes yatra, attracts huge crowds (Lead) - Jul 08, 2010
- Jagan not given permission to hold rally: Moily - Jun 01, 2010
- Jaganmohan's resignation will not affect us, says Congress MP - Nov 29, 2010
- Supreme Court notices to six Andhra ministers (Lead) - Mar 12, 2012
- Jagan defies Congress, to go ahead with 'yatra' - Jun 06, 2010
- CBI charge sheets Jagan, 12 others in illegal assets case (Second Lead) - Mar 31, 2012
- Jagan to form new party in 45 days - Dec 07, 2010
- Campaigning ends for Kadapa by-elections - May 06, 2011
Tags: central leadership, chief minister, congress leader, congress president sonia gandhi, family members, finance minister, helicopter crash, jagan, kadapa, mp, New Delhi, opponents, parliamentary standing committee, party leaders, party sources, pranab mukherjee, rally, statehood, violence, warangal district