Jagan on collison with course with Sonia

Kadapa MP Ys Jaganmohan Reddy is determined to embark on the Odarpu Yatra in Srikakulam although Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked the young Congress leader to abandon the proposed Yatra in Srikakulam district on July 8.

The Congress high command on Tuesday asked the defiant party MP not to go ahead with his controversial yatra and threatened him with disciplinary action if he did not obey.

"All true committed and loyal Congressmen must necessarily observe both the party dharma and laxman rekha of propriety and party discipline," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said. The party is certainly toughening its stand because it knows that Jagan has no real supporters, but only sympathisers.

Sanghvi said, "Failure to obey would lead to a chain of consequences, which are best avoidable. We hope and trust that compliance will take the place of defiance."

The Congress spokesperson maintained that "party discipline like law does not discriminate between individuals."

Despite Sonia Gandhi's reservations about Odarpu Yatra, Jagan has decided to resume his controversial yatra from July 8 to console party workers grieving his father's loss.

Jagan, who had defied the party directive against undertaking the yatra in May also, had met Gandhi along with his family members on June 29 to seek her permission for the tour. The meeting took place in New Delhi on the request of Jagan’s mother Vijayalakshmi.

During the meeting, Sonia had suggested meeting all the affected families at one place to console them and also offer financial assistance, Jagan had told newsmen.

However, Jagan is bent upon celebrating his father late YS Rajasekhar Reddy's birthday in Ichchapuram in Srikakulam district on July 8 even if it means defiance of the Congress Supremo's order.