Jaganmohan Reddy quits Congress, likely to float own party

HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI: Rebel Congress MP from Kadapa -- YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Monday resigned from the party after the latter expressed anger over the episodes telecast on Sakshi television channel targeting the party leadership.

According to a top aide, the rebel MP is likely to float his own party. Youth Sramik Ryot ( YSR) is likely to be the name of the new political outfit.

Jaganmohan submitted an open resignation letter to the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh assembly on Monday, Times Now said.

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.

The channel, owned by Jagan, raised the hackles of the party leadership by targeting Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi.

For the 38-year-old son of former chief minister YSR Reddy, who has been aspiring to become the CM, the increasing isolation from the party reportedly pushed him into breaking away from Congress and is now likely to form a new party of his own.

Jagan's uncle and member of Legislative Council, Y S Vivekananda Reddy, YSR's brother, has rubbed salt to Jaganmohan Reddy's injury by offering to "patch up" the strained relationship between his nephew and the Congress high command by "expressing our regret over the episodes telecast on Sakshi television channel."

Vivekananda's move has only left a defiant Jagan more embarrassed even as his camp tried to do some damage control by announcing that their leader had done nothing wrong that warranted any explanation to the high command.

By distancing itself from Vivekananda's statement, his camp desperately sought to send a message that Jagan would not buckle under pressure.