Post date: Aug 18, 2011 5:46:55 AM
Ignoring the developments at the CBI office in Hyderabad or the FIR filed against him in the assets case, YSR Congress Party president Jaganmohan Reddy continued with his Odarpu yatra in Krishna district on the third day on Wednesday.
Jagan looked unruffled as he stepped up his offensive against the government in his public addresses. Enthused by the good turnout of crowds in the villages, Jagan reiterated that he had decided to face the troubles only for the sake of keeping his promise of visiting all those families who lost their kin after the sudden death of his father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. "My father had taught me a lesson that we should not go back on our promises despite personal problems. I have the confidence of overcoming all the travails with the support of millions of my father's admirers," said Jagan amidst thunderous claps from the crowds and his supporters. Squarely blaming the state government for failing to infuse confidence among the farmers, Jagan said the ryots' crop holiday has brought shame to the state.
"The absence of YSR is being felt by the farmers as he would not have allowed such a crisis to happen," he said amidst slogan-shouting by the villagers. He covered only three villages in Vatsavai mandal till the evening, due to heavy congregation of the masses.
At Kambampadu village, women from SC Colony stopped Jagan's convoy and threatened to consume pesticide if he did not visit their village. People from the Dalit colony spilled on to national highway and staged a rasta roko demanding Jagan to visit their colony. Jagan finally visited the colony as the people did not relent.
At Alluripadu village, two locals -- C Gopaia and Gangisetty Venkateswarlu --poured kerosene on themselves and ran across the convoy of Jagan demanding him to visit their village. A visit to the village was not included in the Odarpu yatra schedule. Despite repeated requests, the youths did not relent and took him to their village. When he asked the locals whether farmers had ever felt disillusioned when his father was at the helm for over five years, they shouted in unison `never' bringing cheer on the face of Jagan.
"Both the state and central governments are responsible for the agrarian crisis in the granary of the country," Jagan lashed out.