09-29-2009, 05:42 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Jagan, Rosaiah war of words hots up</b>
pioneer.com
Omer Farooq | Hyderabad
<b>CM on offensive, says âI am here to stayâ</b>
The ruling Congress party in Andhra Pradesh, in the grip of uncertainty and confusion since the sudden death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy,<b> seems to be heading towards a major confrontation between the supporters and opponents of his son Jagan Reddy as for the first time the incumbent Chief Minister K Rosaiah has made it clear that he intends to stay and fight back.</b>
He not only made it clear that he was no âinterim Chief Ministerâ but a full-fledged Chief Minister and if any Minister had any objection to his leadership, he or she was free to leave the Cabinet.<b> âIf these people (dissidents) canât wait for the decision of the high command, they are free to leave. Nobody will stop them. They can resign, can go their way and do what they want,â Rosaiah said.</b>
<b>âAs far as my knowledge goes, the Indian Constitution does not have any provision for an interim, temporary or caretaker Chief Minister. If a person takes the oath as the Chief Minister he is a Chief Minister. If a person takes the oath as Minister, he is Minister. If a CM is caretaker, will the Ministers be caretaker or permanent,â Rosaiah wondered.</b>
He indicated that he would soon be going to Delhi for consultations with the Congress high command and would go by their advice on the issues like reshuffle or expansion of the Cabinet.
Rosaiahâs stern stand evoked immediate reaction from Jagan camp and at least one Minister - <b>Konda Surekha from Warangal -- announced that she would quit if Jagan is not be made the Chief Minister and Rosaiah continues in the position.</b>
<b>The sudden and surprising assertion by Rosaiah came a day after Jagan Reddyâs supporters went berserk and burnt two buses in Rajahmundry and ransacked the office of Congress party in Anantpur district demanding Jaganâs immediate installation as the Chief Minister. </b>
They also left the party thoroughly shocked by tearing down a big poster with AICC President Sonia Gandhiâs poster in Khammam district office and burning it in full public view.
The incident provided an opening to the anti-Jagan leaders of the party to launch a counter-offensive. <b>Senior leaders like G Venkatswamy, V Hanumantha Rao and K Keshav Rao strongly condemned the incident as an insult to Sonia Gandhi. In a swift action, State Congress president D Srinivas suspended four party workers in connection with the incident.</b> Rosaiah also condemned the incident and spoke to Sonia to express his regrets. The State police have also booked a case in this regard.
The violent incidents allegedly involving Jaganâs supporters has provided a rallying point to the State Congress leaders of other groups who have now for the first time come out openly in support of Rosaiah.
<b>V Hanumantha Rao after meeting Rosaiah said that he will remain Chief Minister till 2014 when the next election was due. When asked whether it will not be going against the peopleâs wishes, Hanumantha Rao quipped, âWe know what the people wish and whose side they are. The peopleâs wish cannot be bigger than Sonia Gandhiâs decision. Whoever is blessed by Sonia will be the leader,</b>â he said,
Meanwhile the Congress workers belonging to various other camps also held protest demonstrations all over the State against the incident of burning of Sonia posters. In Hyderabad, a demonstration was held in the State party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan. State minority cell president Sirajuddin who led the demonstration said the people who insulted Sonia were trying to challenge the authority of the party high command.
Jagan camp on the other hand was not in a mood to take it lying down. Jogi Ramesh, MLA and Jagan follower questioned the authority of Hanumantha Rao in declaring that Rosaiah will remain the Chief Minister till 2014. He said the senior leaders should stop making such provocative statements.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
pioneer.com
Omer Farooq | Hyderabad
<b>CM on offensive, says âI am here to stayâ</b>
The ruling Congress party in Andhra Pradesh, in the grip of uncertainty and confusion since the sudden death of YS Rajasekhara Reddy,<b> seems to be heading towards a major confrontation between the supporters and opponents of his son Jagan Reddy as for the first time the incumbent Chief Minister K Rosaiah has made it clear that he intends to stay and fight back.</b>
He not only made it clear that he was no âinterim Chief Ministerâ but a full-fledged Chief Minister and if any Minister had any objection to his leadership, he or she was free to leave the Cabinet.<b> âIf these people (dissidents) canât wait for the decision of the high command, they are free to leave. Nobody will stop them. They can resign, can go their way and do what they want,â Rosaiah said.</b>
<b>âAs far as my knowledge goes, the Indian Constitution does not have any provision for an interim, temporary or caretaker Chief Minister. If a person takes the oath as the Chief Minister he is a Chief Minister. If a person takes the oath as Minister, he is Minister. If a CM is caretaker, will the Ministers be caretaker or permanent,â Rosaiah wondered.</b>
He indicated that he would soon be going to Delhi for consultations with the Congress high command and would go by their advice on the issues like reshuffle or expansion of the Cabinet.
Rosaiahâs stern stand evoked immediate reaction from Jagan camp and at least one Minister - <b>Konda Surekha from Warangal -- announced that she would quit if Jagan is not be made the Chief Minister and Rosaiah continues in the position.</b>
<b>The sudden and surprising assertion by Rosaiah came a day after Jagan Reddyâs supporters went berserk and burnt two buses in Rajahmundry and ransacked the office of Congress party in Anantpur district demanding Jaganâs immediate installation as the Chief Minister. </b>
They also left the party thoroughly shocked by tearing down a big poster with AICC President Sonia Gandhiâs poster in Khammam district office and burning it in full public view.
The incident provided an opening to the anti-Jagan leaders of the party to launch a counter-offensive. <b>Senior leaders like G Venkatswamy, V Hanumantha Rao and K Keshav Rao strongly condemned the incident as an insult to Sonia Gandhi. In a swift action, State Congress president D Srinivas suspended four party workers in connection with the incident.</b> Rosaiah also condemned the incident and spoke to Sonia to express his regrets. The State police have also booked a case in this regard.
The violent incidents allegedly involving Jaganâs supporters has provided a rallying point to the State Congress leaders of other groups who have now for the first time come out openly in support of Rosaiah.
<b>V Hanumantha Rao after meeting Rosaiah said that he will remain Chief Minister till 2014 when the next election was due. When asked whether it will not be going against the peopleâs wishes, Hanumantha Rao quipped, âWe know what the people wish and whose side they are. The peopleâs wish cannot be bigger than Sonia Gandhiâs decision. Whoever is blessed by Sonia will be the leader,</b>â he said,
Meanwhile the Congress workers belonging to various other camps also held protest demonstrations all over the State against the incident of burning of Sonia posters. In Hyderabad, a demonstration was held in the State party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan. State minority cell president Sirajuddin who led the demonstration said the people who insulted Sonia were trying to challenge the authority of the party high command.
Jagan camp on the other hand was not in a mood to take it lying down. Jogi Ramesh, MLA and Jagan follower questioned the authority of Hanumantha Rao in declaring that Rosaiah will remain the Chief Minister till 2014. He said the senior leaders should stop making such provocative statements.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->