Jagan defers yatra to YSR birthday

At last wise sense prevailed on Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. On Monday evening, he announced postponement his controversial Odarpu Yatra in Srikakulam district in coastal Andhra Pradesh by a month, following the advice from his supporters in the Congress party.

Jagan, who was scheduled to leave for Srikakulam on Tuesday, changed his mind and declared that he would resume his tour on July 8, coinciding with the birthday of his father and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. His tour was aimed at consoling the families of those who had committed suicide or died of shock following the death of YSR in a helicopter crash on September 2 last.

In an open letter to his supporters, Jagan said he had received a communiqué from the Congress high command on Sunday night asking him to postpone his Srikakulam tour indefinitely. He, however, said there was no strong reason why he should defer his tour indefinitely as it was his duty to call on the bereaved families.

“My yatra in Warangal had been curtailed due to some unfortunate politicking by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi which had shown some lame excuse.. Though I wanted to resume the tour in Srikakulam from Tuesday, I am postponing my tour following the directive from the high command. I am confident of getting the approval as well as blessings of party president for my tour during this period,” he said.