Hyderabad, Nov 29 (IANS) Unhappy with the appointment of Kiran Kumar Reddy as the Andhra Pradesh chief minister and subsequent attempts to split his camp, Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has decided to quit as member of parliament, media reports said Monday.
Some Telugu television channels quoted sources close to Jagan as saying his mother Vijayalakshmi too has decided to resign as a member of the state assembly. She was elected unopposed from Pulivendula constituency in Kadapa district in December last year, following the death of her husband in a helicopter crash.
However, it was not clear if Jagan would float a new party or stay with Congress.
The Kadapa MP, who conveyed his decision to his close followers, has cancelled his visit to Delhi and instead will be heading for Kadapa.
He was to leave for Delhi Monday to attend the parliament session amid attempts by his uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy to mediate between him and the central leadership. YSR’s brother is camping in the national capital for a berth in the state cabinet.
Jagan has been running a defiant campaign since the leadership turned down his claim for the chief minister’s post following the death of his father in September last year.
The young MP has also been targeting K. Rosaiah, who resigned as chief minister last week citing age and work pressure.
Jagan’s reported move to resign also came at a time when the leadership was planning to take disciplinary action against him for using his Sakshi television channel to attack party president Sonia Gandhi.
Sources close to Jagan said he was desperate after his uncle began lobbying for a ministerial post and close family friend K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao also started distancing himself.
Rao, a member of Rajya Sabha and a close friend of late YSR, has moved closer to the central leadership. On the directions of Kiran Kumar, he resigned late Sunday as the advisor to the state government.
The leadership is also trying to woo some of Jagan’s loyal legislators with ministerial posts.
