Jagan woos dissident Cong leaders in Telangana

NIZAMABAD/ADILABAD: Jaganmohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party is going all-out to strengthen its base in the north Telangana region by wooing dissidents in the Congress and other parties. While Nizamabad zilla parishad chairman K Venkatramana Reddy is all set to join the new party soon, senior Congress leader from Adilabad A Indrakaran Reddy (Nirmal) and his follower Koneru Konappa (Sirpur) are in touch with the Jagan camp.
Sources said both the leaders met Jagan recently and had a lengthy discussion with him.Though details as to what transpired at the meeting have not been revealed, sources said both the leaders were unhappy with the Congress leadership. While Nirmal MLA P Maheshwar Reddy (PRP) would soon become a Congress leader with the merger, Indrakaran's followers believe their leader's future in the constituency is sealed, sources said.
Jagan loyalist and ex-MLA from Banswada Bajireddy Goverdhan claimed that several Congress leaders from the region would join the new party. "Some of the leaders have already agreed to join hands with Jagan, while talks are on with other leaders," he said.
Konappa is facing stiff competition from TRS MLA Kaveti Sammaiah, who is already being seen as a Congress man after his alleged voting in favour of the Congress candidate in the recent legislative council elections. "Konappa is likely to switch over to Jagan party soon," his followers said.
Former MLA from Jukkal constituency S Gangaram, who was suspended from the Congress for six years for making derogatory remarks against PCC president D Srinivas, is also likely to join the new party, sources said. Senior leader from Armoor and former minister S Santhosh Reddy is contemplating similar move along with his NRI son Srinivas Reddy.
Political analysts said Jagan loyalists are spreading words that their leader was not against bifurcation of the state. "In a calculated move to decimate the Congress, Jagan may even have a secret understanding with K Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS in 2014 elections," a senior analyst opined.