Setback for Jagan as majority MLAs back out of Odarpu

ONGOLE: In a setback to Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, a majority Congress MLAs from Prakasam district are believed to have decided to skip the controversial Odarpu yatra scheduled to be held in the district from September 3.
The legislators had no option but to toe the party high command's line and give Jagan yatra a miss, sources said. Eight legislators barring district minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and Darsi MLA Buchepalli Sivaprasada Reddy landed in Delhi late on Tuesday night to discuss the issue with Jagan himself.
Sources said the loyalist MLAs were summoned by the high command to brainwash them to keep away from Jagan's yatra.After meeting AICC chief's political secretary Ahmed Patel, the legislators made a request to Jagan to follow the high command's instructions on the yatra, highly-placed sources said. "The high command is firm on stopping the yatra at any cost. The meeting of his loyalist MLAs with Patel is an effort towards that end," sources said.
The legislators met the Kadapa MP twice in the last 36 hours but failed to prevail upon him on the need to heed AICC chief Sonia Gandhi's advice. "I have already started the yatra in Srikakulam and I do not need counselling from anybody. I am not going to request you to follow or join the yatra. I am also not going to stop my yatra meant to console the bereaved families after my father's demise," Jagan is said to have told the MLAs.
The legislators who held negotiations with Jagan include senior leader Daggubati Venkateswara Rao and former minister G V Seshu. "Jagan should try to understand our position as we cannot go against the party high command," a legislator said. However, an adamant Jagan is said to have told them that he has people's support and that he does not require any leader's (read MLAs) assistance.
Chirala legislator Amanchi Krishnamohan, a loyalist of chief minister K Rosaiah, is said to told Jagan they were not against his yatra in the district but were only trying to follow the party high command line. Already, Union textile minister Panabaka Lakshmi and Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasula Reddy have decided not to join Jagan during the yatra.
The MLAs also discussed the issue with Lakshmi at her residence before meeting Jagan. Venkateswara Rao's wife and Union minister Purandeswari has also joined the legislators during the consultations, it is learnt.
Meanwhile, Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy announced that he would join Jagan in Kandukur constituency which falls in his LS area, as he has not received any instructions from the party high command.
The other legislators who were camping in Delhi were Gottipati Ravikumar (Addanki), M Ugranarasihma Reddy (Kanigiri), M Maheedhar Reddy (Kandukur), A Sureshkumar (Yerragondapalem) and B N Vijayakumar (S N Padu).