'There is conspiracy to oust Jagan from party'

Stepping up attack on the Congress leadership in Andhra Pradesh, a close confidante of Kadapa Member of Parliament Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged on Thursday that there is an attempt to send the young MP out of the party.

"There is an attempt to test the patience of Jagan Mohan Reddy and to send him out of the party. This is not correct. This is going to hurt the Congress very badly," Ambati Rambabu, state Congress general secretary who has been suspended from the party, told the media.

In an apparent reference to Chief Minister K Rosaiah, he said, "You are big in experience and status. You should not do small things. You should take everyone along and strengthen the party."

He also alleged that there is an attempt to "bury" the family of late Rajasekhara Reddy politically.

Rambabu found fault with the party issuing a show-cause notice to Congress Member of Legislative Assembly Konda Surekha, a known loyalist of Jagan, for making critical remarks against Rosaiah in a letter she dashed off to party president Sonia Gandhi.

"What was the mistake committed by Surekha? She wrote a letter reflecting public opinion. She released it to the media. Is it wrong? If that is the case, then why information about the notices being issued to me, Surekha and Gattu Ramachandra Rao was released to the media," Rambabu asked.

He said the "elders" should think whether their actions would benefit the party or not.

Rambabu's comments is the latest in the ongoing war of words between leaders close to Jagan and those loyal to the party leadership.

Surekha was served a show-cause notice on Wednesday for her critical comments against Rosaiah and the party leadership.

Claiming that Congress in Andhra Pradesh lacked a charismatic leader like late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, she demanded that Jagan be handed over the reins of the party.

"Congress in the state does not have a charismatic leader like Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. It is only because of the welfare schemes initiated by him that people voted for Congress in the recent by-elections. We are demanding that Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy be given the party's leadership in the state," Surekha has said.

Without naming Rosaiah, Surekha had decried his style of functioning and found fault with the way welfare and development schemes are being implemented.

The state Congress leadership had earlier suspended Rambabu as party general secretary and removed Gattu Ramachandra Rao, another Jagan loyalist, as secretary of party's Kisan Cell.

Several senior party leaders have been critical of Jagan and his supporters.

Taking exception to Surekha's comments, former minister Palvai Govardhan Reddy alleged that the Kadapa MP is in a hurry to become the chief minister.

"He (Jagan) is irresponsible. He is in a hurry to become the chief minister. You can inherit your father's properties but how can you inherit a political post?" he said.