YS Jagan’s exclusive interview to Hindustan Times

The Congress will be decimated when elections are held in Andhra Pradesh; the numbers will be far pitiable than the 1994 performance of 26 seats out of 294,” says former Congressman and Kadapa MP YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

A month after his exit from party the late YSR’s son talks about his way forward, which is quite the opposite from his father’s — YSR ensured 33 MPs from the state and formed successive Congress governments in Andhra.

Your 48-hour fast for farmers in Vijayawada last week ended up as a show of strength with about 25 MLAs present…

The fast was to highlight the plight of farmers. It’s not about me or MLAs but lakhs of farmers who joined in the fast. If people (Congress) want to politicise, I can only say they are unsympathetic to farmer’s problems.

But you claimed the MLAs support. You told people to wait three years following which 30 years of golden rule would arrive. Are you ready to wait that long? Detractors say you have different plans.

I did not try before nor do I need to do anything now (to pull down the government). I cannot stop people from saying things.

Why doubt when I say will wait till 2014? When they (Congress) wanted me out, I walked away calmly. Tell me, where else you will get a better gentleman than me?

When is your party launching? You had said within 45 days…

45 or 60 days is not in my hands. It’s a formality that takes time, but yes, the process is on. And, I do not want to contest for MLA seat now.

Surprising! Everyone thinks you’ll contest Pulivendula, represented by your father and after him your mother who resigned with you.

Me becoming MLA now will allow them to campaign that I will destabilise the government. Delhi is not my interest, I want a bigger mandate — instead of a 2 lakh margin in the assembly, some 10 lakh majority to Lok Sabha. If there is an opportunity for the entire state, I’ll seek it.

Who is your main opposition, the Congress or TDP?

The Congress is falling apart. The situation reminds me of 1989-94, which saw three CMs, where from about 190 seats the Congress was reduced to 26 losing Opposition status. It will be worse, far pitiable for the party now. There will be no Opposition when we form the government. The Congress will be in third position, TDP second, and we will be number one.

The Telangana report is submitted. There are fears in the Congress that separation would strengthen you in Costal-Andhra and Rayalaseema…

What makes one think that I am weak in Telangana? About 350 people died there after YSR’s death, showing the impact. I will continue my odarpu yatra in Telangana.

(Source: Hindustan Times)