Cong not after power, but defeating Jagan is imperative: Rosaiah

Stating that the Congress Party has no desire for power but its only aim is to serve the people, former chief minister K Rosaiah on Saturday called on party workers to make a cohesive effort to ensure victory of party candidates DL Ravindra Reddy and YS Vivekananda Reddy in the by-elections for the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies.

Addressing the gathering at an election campaign meeting held at the Indira Bhavan in Kadapa town, the former chief minister said that the onus is on the party workers to ensure the party candidates’ victory by working together and leaving aside their personal differences, if any.

Mr Rosaiah further said that former minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy was a politician whose only desire was to serve the people. “YSR never made any adverse comments against the Congress and worked all his life to take the party’s policies to the people. The welfare schemes he had launched are evidence of his love for the people. The Congress Party is still continuing with the welfare schemes introduced by YSR” he stated.

The former chief minister continued, “YSR was a member of the Congress Party when he launched the welfare schemes. He was part of the Congress till his last breath. Therefore, the Congress Party is the true inheritor of the schemes launched by him.”

Mr Rosaiah will continue to canvass for the Congress on Sunday.

Speaker earlier, Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy said that while YSR had passed away, the Congress Party’s ideals and policies remain.

Party candidate and Health Minister DL Ravindra Reddy said that his main opponent YS Jaganmohan Reddy has been making adverse comments against UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. “He will never even reach near her stature,” he said.

Attending the public meeting along with Mr Rosaiah were Ministers Raghuveera Reddy, Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, Galla Aruna Kumari, Syed Ahmedullah, DL Ravindra Reddy, former Legislative Council Chairman A Chakrapani and others.