YSR's son appeals to supporters to obey Congress High command

Hyderabad, Sep.6 (ANI): The son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Jaganmohan Reddy, on Sunday urged his supporters to obey the party high command's directives on the succession issue in the state.

Appealing to his supporters to be patient, Jaganmohan Reddy said: "Sonia Gandhi (Congress president) knows what is good for us all. This is not the time to air one's choice of succession. Please abide by Sonia Gandhi's decision. Await Sonia Gandhi's decision.

Jaganmohan Reddy's message came as Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Veerappa Moily met Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence in New Delhi for a little over 15 minutes. It was decided to send a tough message to YSR Reddy loyalists to back off from their demand to make Jaganmohan Reddy the next chief minister of the state.

It was also decided that a decision on the leadership issue in Andhra Pradesh would be taken after the seven-day mourning period for the late chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday.

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee also organized a condolence meeting for Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy today, an occasion that was used for campaigning openly for his son Jaganmohan to take over as the next Chief Minister.

At the end of the 10-minute multi-religious prayers and reading out of condolence messages and a two-minute silence, a crowd assembled in the PCC HQ Gandhi Bhavan, majority of whom were young supporters of Jaganmohan, including women, got up shouting slogans demanding that YSR's son should be made the next chief minister.

"We want Jagan", said a number of posters carrying his pictures while a number of others carried pictures of YSR.

Jaganmohan himself was not present on the occasion. He had just arrived in Hyderabad from Idupulapaya, two days after last rites for his late father. There were also slogans shouted against some leaders who had criticized the attempts to make Jaganmohan the next Chief Minister.

The shouting continued in the presence of interim Chief Minister K Rosaiah, PCC President D Srinivas, Union Minister Jaipal Reddy, who all quietly left when slogan shouting did not stop despite appeals that it was an occasion for silent mourning. (ANI)