Jagan Reddy set to launch new party in next 45 days

Former Kadapa MP Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, who resigned from his Lok Sabha seat and the Congress last week, announced on Tuesday that he would float a new regional party that would herald a “ golden era” in Andhra Pradesh.

Jagan declared that the name, flag and the constitution of his party would be announced within the next 45 days.

He was addressing a gathering of supporters and YSR followers at Simhadripuram block of Pulivendula in Kadapa district. For the first time, Jagan openly targeted Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

He said Sonia owed a lot to YSR for bringing the Congress to power in the state and the Centre twice. “ It was because of YSR’s hard work and marathon padayatra in 2003 that the Congress came to power in 2004. It was because of the welfare schemes implemented by him that it came to power again in 2009. It was because of YSR that the Congress could get maximum number of MPs from Andhra Pradesh. It is unfortunate that Sonia has treated the family of such a great leader with contempt,” Jagan said.

He accused Sonia Gandhi of hatching a conspiracy to alienate him from the party and forcibly sending him out. “ The way she treated me and my mother was there for all to see. We went to New Delhi three times to meet the Congress president, but she had not given us appointment for a month,” he said.

But when she tried to split my family using my uncle Y. S. Vivekananda Reddy as a pawn, I ran out of patience. Hence, my resignation,” he said.

He said he would strive to uphold the self- respect of the Telugu people. “ We have to bear with these troubles for just another three years. And we are confident of bringing back the golden rule of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, which would continue for at least three decades,” he said.

According to sources close to Jagan, the party is likely to be announced on January 15. In the meantime, he would hold meetings with his supporters across the state to build a strong cadre base.

Stating that the nation was looking at the ensuing by- elections to Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and Pulivendula assembly seat, Jagan said they were going to be a test for the people’s affection for the YSR family.

Jagan pointed out that he would never try to topple the Congress government.“ I had not done it when I had the support of 150 MLAs immediately after my father’s death, as I always believed in values in politics,” he said.