Karnataka former minister Gali to Jagan Mohan Reddy's rescue

Hyderabad: “Mining king” and Karnataka former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, who was close to late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, has come to the rescue of YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in countering the ruling TD’s ‘Operation Akarsh’ aimed at attraction the Opposition MLAs.

Mr Janardhan Reddy is reportedly assuring the YSRC MLAs that he would “take care of everything” if they do not defect to the TD. Sources said that Mr Janardhan Reddy and his trusted aide, Karnataka MLA B. Sreeramulu, are in touch with YSRC MLAs of Rayalaseema region.  

The sources said that Mr Janardhan Reddy’s efforts have started yielding results, with at least YSRC MLAs from Kurnool deferring their decision to join the TD. A minister from Rayalaseema told this newspaper that Mr Janardhan Reddy is countering the TD’s efforts to get the YSRC MLAs to defect.

At present, YSRC has 25 MLAs from Rayalaseema region. Of the party’s 67 MLAs, ten have switched sides, despite Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s best efforts to stop them.

Sources said that TD has been concentrating on SC and ST MLAs of the YSRC. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy has reportedly been telling them, “You won the elections because of me. I have helped your family members to go for higher studies. Keeping this in mind, do not leave the party and fall into the TD trap”.

The TD leadership wants to win all four Rajya Sabha seats in the elections scheduled for June. The ruling party has successfully wooed 10 YSRC MLAs, if it bags another 15 to 20 MLAs, the YSRC will find it difficult to win even one Rajya Sabha seat.

Elsewhere, AP Chief Minister and TD national president N. Chandrababu Naidu told his ministers to make “full efforts” in luring YSRC MLAs into TD.

He told them that they have to win over at least 20 more YSRC MLAs into the TD. A senior minister said that after the Assembly session ends, all ministers will be told to dedicate themselves to this task and the deadline would be May-end.

The minister said that Mr Naidu told them that they view the defection of YSRC MLAs as a ‘single-point programme’ set aside all other work. Another minister said when contacted, the YSRC MLAs said that they were undecided on whether they ought to leave the party or not.

While some MLAs are demanding an assured party ticket in the next elections, others are asking for more time to take a decision, the minister said.