Jayaprakash calls for meeting of followers on Feb. 25

After announcing his decision to stay away from Congress and leave the party if he doesn’t get an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Sangareddy legislator T. Jayaprakash Reddy has called for a meeting of his followers on February 25 in Sangareddy.

The meeting is apparently to discuss his continuation in the party or future political situation if he plans to leave it ultimately. Leaders close to Mr. Reddy have advised him to either remain in the Congress or move to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) rather than remaining an independent.

Several public representatives of the Congress party who are with him in the constituency advised him against leaving the party when it is looking at bright prospects in the next elections, a leader close to him informed. Some of them were also of the opinion that Finance Minister T. Harish Rao will go all out to stop his entry given their differences.

Political fortunes will be bright only if the leaders ally with a political party rather than pursuing an independent line. The present political situation doesn’t give any scope for independent politicians in Telangana with all the three parties – TRS, Congress and the BJP quite strong.

Meanwhile, senior leaders are making all efforts to get an appointment with Ms. Sonia Gandhi to settle the issue.

Nalgonda MP and former TPCC president, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is close to the Gandhi family, is pursuing the issue with the high command.

Former Union Minister Renuka Choudhary too apparently called Mr. Jayaprakash Reddy and asked him not to take any hasty decision. “You can count on me for your issues to be taken up with the party high command in New Delhi” is what she apparently told him.