New Delhi/Hyderabad, July 6 : The Congress party on Tuesday indicated of acting tough with its MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy as the latter remained defiant to resume his controversial ‘Odarp’ Yatra (rally) from Thursday.

Jaganmohan, son of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister later YS Rajashekhar Reddy, had launched on the yatra to meet the families of the people who died of shock on receiving the news of his father’s sudden demise in a helicopter crash last year.

The state Congress had been against the yatra, though the central leadership had not stepped in directly till now.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi hinted on Tuesday that the party could initiate disciplinary action against Jagamohan if he resumed the yatra.

“All true committed and loyal Congressmen must necessarily observe both the party dharma (party rules) and laxman rekha (limits),” Singhvi said.

“Failure to do so would perforce lead to a chain of consequences, which are best avoidable. We hope and trust that compliance will take the place of defiance.”

Jaganmohan has, however, announced of resuming the yatra from July 8, which he had to abandon midway in May after it led to violent clashes and he was taken into preventive custody.

Jaganmohan met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence on his mother’s request in the intervening period.

Informing on the meeting, the MP said in an open letter that Gandhi had suggested assembling the affected families at one place to console them and also to offer financial assistance.

“We explained to her the need to resume the yatra to console the family members of those who died following the death of my father. She (Sonia Gandhi) did not cite any specific reason but did not appear to be favourably inclined over resuming the yatra.”

“But according to Indian tradition, visiting a bereaved family is more important than extending financial help,” Jagan said, adding that his mother had reminded Sonia Gandhi that when YSR Reddy died, she came all the way to Hyderabad to comfort her rather than inviting her to Delhi.

He is going ahead with his Odarpu Yatra from Itchapuram in Srikakulam district.

–IBNS

Rosaiah told reporters that some legislators sought his advice on their participation in the yatra beginning in Srikakulam district Thursday. “I told them that they should not participate as the party high command has not given permission.”

The party has warned the MP, popularly known as Jagan, from resuming the campaign during which he plans to console families of those who committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father, then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, in a helicopter crash Sep 2 last year.

Rosaiah said it was already evident from Jagan’s letter released to the media that Congress president Sonia Gandhi was not in favour of the campaign.

The chief minister said he did not discuss the issue with Gandhi. “There is no uncertainty in the Congress because of the yatra,” he said.

To another query, he said the police would look into Jagan’s request for security.

The central leadership has warned Jagan that breach of discipline could lead to “completely avoidable consequences”.

Defying the leadership, the Kadapa MP has announced that he would go ahead with his plans as it was his duty to visit the families who suffered after his father died.

–IANS

Reddy, the son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, was held at Vangapalli in Nalgonda district while he was on his way to Warangal by train to console the family members of those who died of shock or committed suicide following his father’s death in a helicopter crash last year.

The industrialist-turned-politician told reporters after his detention Friday that he would try to visit Warangal again. He is being brought to Hyderabad.

Reddy had refused to drop the yatra despite threats by Telangana activists to stop it at any cost. Like his father, Jagan is also opposed to the demand for bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. He, along with other MPs from Rayalaseema and Andhra regions, had voiced opposition to the demand for Telangana state in the Lok Sabha.

Alleging that the yatra is aimed at campaigning against the movement for separate statehood to Telangana, the Joint Action Committee (JAC), Telangana Rashtra Samiti and other pro-Telangana groups have decided to stop his tour.

Leaders of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party had also announced their plans to stall the yatra. A section of pro-Telangana leaders within the ruling Congress are also opposed to the yatra and they have appealed to party president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to stop Jagan.

Jagan has termed as unfair objections to his yatra on political grounds. “There were no political statements nor any issue was politicised by me,” he said in a statement.

–IANS

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Rosaiah said Mr Jagan was Member of Parliament and member of AICC and the Congress High Command had taken note of the matter.

Asked whether the government had given permission for the tour, he said Mr Jagan had not applied for the permission from the government stating that there was no need for any individual or organisation to obtain permission from the government.

Normally for rallies and public meetings, people had to take permission from the Police. ”I do not know whether Jagan has sought permission from the police department or not,” he said.

When asked why the government had given permission to Mr Jagan when it rejected the permission to the Osmania University Students’ rally and the tour of BJP leadar Sushma Swaraj, he said the Osmania University students had submitted an application with the police for permission which was rejected by the police.

”I have not talked with Mr Jagan on the tour. However, I asked the police department to take all measures to maintain law and order in view of the opposition from some sections of the people and leaders,” he said.

–UNI

The team, constituted by the state government to conduct investigations and make recommendations to prevent such disasters in future, Thursday submitted its report to Chief Minister K. Rosaiah.

The committee, in its report, said all the available evidence showed the helicopter crashed due to bad weather. The committee comprised M.R. Reddy, retired Indian Police Service (IPS) official and expert on VIP security, and H.S. Kola, former director general of

civil aviation.

Reddy told reporters that the cockpit voice recorder, which was decoded by the manufacturer in Canada, showed that the chief minister and other passengers had no conversation with the crew before the crash. “All evidence on record shows that the helicopter got into bad weather. The pilots were trying to lift the helicopter which was coming down drastically due to down drought but in the process hit a tree and crashed,” he said. Reddy, however, pointed out that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was conducting a detailed probe and it would soon come out with its

finding as to whether there was any sabotage.

Both the committee members said the pilot was given full briefing by the meteorological department about the weather conditions and the ATC had also allowed the chopper to take off. “During monsoon weather changes, especially on hilly terrain, and in such a situation the pilot has to decide whether to fly back or go ahead,” he said.

The committee, which found that both the engines of the chopper were working, suggested measures to improve the safety system to prevent such disasters.

Last month, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in its report to the central government had blamed the pilots for the Sep 2, 2009,

disaster.

The report had said the accident occurred due to loss of control over the craft.

The government-owned Bell 430 helicopter (BT-APG), carrying the then chief minister and four others, went missing minutes after it took off from Begumpet Airport here for Chittoor district on Sep 2. A massive air search involving Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters and Sukhois failed to trace thechopper.

The bodies of YSR, as the chief minister was popularly known, and four others – including the two pilots – were found the next morning in the hills of

Kurnool.

–IANS

She was elected unopposed from the Pulivendula Assembly constituency as the seat fell vacant following the death of her husband, who was killed in ahelicopter crash on September 2 last year when he was on his way to Chittoor to attend a ‘mass contact’ programme.

State Assembly Speaker N Kirankumar Reddy administered the oath to her, four days ahead of the budget session of the House, beginning onFebruary 15.

As she took the oath and signed the papers, Ms Vijayalakshmi broke down.

Flanked by Congress MP and her son Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and the state political advisor and YSR’s close friend and Rajya Sabha member K V  PRamachandra Rao, she took oath in the name of God. Pradesh Congress President D Srinivas and All India Congress Committee Secretary P Sudhakar Reddy were among the large number of Congress

leaders who graced the occasion.

Though Ms Vijayalakshmi was initially reluctant to enter the poll fray, she relented as the Congress High Command insisted. Late YSR was elected from Pulivendula for six times.

–UNI

Municipal Administration Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy will unveil the statue with Union Minister of State for Defence M M Pallamraju presiding.

Kakinada City MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy, a diehard supporter of Jaganmohan Reddy who was instrumental in sponsoring the Rs 3.5 lakh statue, had got it prepared at Hyderabad.

He told mediapersons here today that 300 kgs of bronze was used for preparing the 8.5 feet high statue.

–UNI

State Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy told reporters that the chief minister spoke to union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on phone and requested him to speed up the probe into Sep 2 helicopter crash.

She said Rosaiah would also speak to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel to ask him to expedite the inquiry by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). “There is a need to complete the probe as early as possible to allay the apprehensions in people’s mind,” she said.

–IANS

Hyderabad, Jan 7: An incensed mob attacked Reliance outlets in Kadapah, Anantapur districts and many places in Andhra Pradesh today after a Russian portal expose alleging involvement of India’s leading industrialist behind the September 2 helicopter crash at Pavuralagutta in which former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was killed.

Later, Russian Portal, exile.com, posted the lead story alleging involvement of a senior American advisor, who was on board of the leading industrial house with gas and oil interest in the Krishna-Godavari basin of Andhra Pradesh.

The mob started attacking Reliance outlets in Kadapah town, Kadiri, Anantapur town, Tirupati, Warangal, Vizianagaram and other places across Andhra Pradesh forcing Reliance outlets to down the shutters.

Tension flared up as mobs converged on the outlets, cell towers, Digital Marts of the Reliance group even as the outlets were closed down.

Congress activists and YSR supporters have called for a bandh of Kadapah and Warangal districts on January 8 in protest against the alleged conspiracy hatched in the death of Rajasekhara Reddy.

At Hyderabad, Petrol stations of the Reliance group at Yusufguda, LB Nagar, Champapet, Anandbagh, the Reliance fresh the grocery outlets, Reliance digitals, Reliance Trend outlets at Kukatpally.

Police forces were rushed at many places in Hyderabad city to bring the situation under control. Reports of such attacks were coming from other major cities with mobile cell towers set afire at Jaggayyapeta and Dharmavaram.

The trouble started with four regional television channels telecasting the contents of the website. Hordes of people came on the streets within less than hour and started attacking the outlets of the corporate groups.

Police forces were being rushed across the various places where incidents of attack on the properties of corporate house were reported.

–UNI