The Hindu : Mysoora softens stand, meets YSR

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 02, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Mysoora softens stand, meets YSR

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, FEB. 1. In a step towards further rapprochement, the Congress heavyweights from Cuddapah district — Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and the former Kamalapuram MLA, M. V. Mysoora Reddy — held frank discussions at Pulivendula on Sunday.

The former MLA from Badvel, V. Sivaramakrishna Rao, who is reported to be unhappy with the former CLP leader, also met Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy separately where they are said to have opened up their mind.

The discussions between Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy and Dr. Mysoora Reddy assumed significance because they spoke to each other for the first time since the party was plunged into a crisis following reports that three senior leaders were contemplating quitting the Congress. However, the details of the discussions were kept a secret.

When contacted, the former CLP leader told The Hindu that the "crisis was blowing over'' but was reluctant to disclose the issues that came up during the talks. He, however, stated that certain issues raised by Dr. Mysoora Reddy and Dr. Rao had been left to the party high command for sorting out.

Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy said the leaders who met him expressed their desire to work for the party even without any positions. Replying to a query, the CLP leader hoped that the leaders would go to New Delhi within the next two or three days for discussions with the high command.

Asked whether the former Mydukur MLA, D. L. Ravindra Reddy, had also spoken to him, he said, "DL has been in touch with me during the last three to four days.''

Addressing party functionaries at Mydukur this evening, Dr. Ravindra Reddy asserted that he would continue in the Congress even if Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy did not extend his cooperation. He said he was willing to contest either for Parliament or the Assembly if the party command so desired, and made it clear that he would not hesitate to contest as an Independent if denied the Congress ticket.

Asserting that he would go by the aspiration of his followers, he said he would contest even on the BJP ticket if they so desired. He attributed his defeat from Mydukur in the 1999 Assembly polls to "sabotage'' by the Cuddapah constituency convenor, Bandi Hanumanthu, who, he alleged, worked against him. "I was anguished since then, because senior party leaders did not take my complaints into account," he said. He maintained that he went to Hyderabad on the suggestion of Dr. Sivaramakrishna Rao but had no plans to quit the party.

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