Hyderabad, June 7 (IANS) Finally bowing to the Congress leadership, Lok Sabha member Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Monday postponed his ‘odarpu yatra’ by a month.
The late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s son said he will now launch his yatra in Srikakulam July 8. The young MP announced this in a statement a day before he was scheduled to set out on the controversial tour.

The yatra is aimed at consoling the family members of those who either committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father in a helicopter crash last year.

After blowing hot and cold on the yatra, Reddy decided not to go ahead with his yatra June 8.

The decision came after he was reprimanded by the party leadership for repeatedly defying its directive and Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked him to defer his yatra.

Reddy said in the statement: “I have full faith in Sonia Gandhi and I will launch yatra on July 9 with her consent.”

Jagan’s attempt to defy the high command and take out yatra in Warangal district of Telangana region May 28 had triggered violence.

The MP was arrested on his way to Mahabubabad town in the district but firing by gunmen of his two loyal legislators in the town injured nine pro-Telangana activists, who were opposing his tour.

While stating that he saw no reason for postponing the yatra in a non-Telangana area, Reddy said he would abide by the party president’s directive.

The MP said his mother Vijayalakshmi June 2 wrote a letter to Gandhi, urging her to give permission for the yatra.

“We were waiting for an appointment with her to explain our stand in person. However, last night I received a call from high command asking me to indefinitely postpone the yatra. I asked if there are any strong reasons for this?” said Reddy without mentioning the high command’s response.