Stop using YSR's photo in publicity: Cong MP to party

Urging the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh to dissociate itself from the allegations of corruption during late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's tenure, a party member of Parliament has also said that YSR's photographs should be stopped from being used in party's publicity material.

"How would people believe if YSR's photo is carried? And it is alleged that Jagan (Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy) is corrupt," senior Congress Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao told reporters. "I had said a long ago that father and son cannot be seen in isolation," he said.

Replying to a query, he said truth would come out in the ongoing investigation (by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the cases involving Jagan) whether Rajasekhara Reddy was corrupt or not.

The debate as to whether to blame Rajasekhara Reddy or not has started within Congress of late, with some leaders suggesting that allegations against Jagan cannot be seen in isolation.

While leaders like Hanumantha Rao suggest that the party stops using Rajasekhara Reddy's name, others like Lok Sabha member A Sai Pratap say that they cannot criticise the late chief minister due to the strong association they had with him.

State Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana said onMonday that truth over the allegations of corruption against Rajasekhara Reddy regime would come out in the CBI probe.

Hanumantha Rao suggested that a meeting of senior leaders be convened to analyse the party's preparedness for the ensuing bye-polls to 18 assembly seats. He regretted that no such meeting was held after the loss in the bye-polls to Kadapa Lok Sabha and seven assembly segments recently.

The bye-polls in 16 constituencies became necessary as the sitting Congress members of Legislative Assembly were disqualified by the Assembly Speaker for switching loyalty to Jagan and voting against the Congress government during a floor test last December.

The sitting member quit in support of the Kadapa MP in one constituency, while another seat became vacant, when actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi quit as MLA following his election to the Rajya Sabha. Congress drew a blank in the recent bye-polls to seven assembly constituencies in the state.