By threatening that his party MPs would resign from their posts, if necessary to highlight the demand for special category status to Andhra Pradesh, YSR Congress party president and Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy seems to be aiming at hitting two birds at one shot.
One, he wants to throw the gauntlet by challenging Telugu Desam Party president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to contest the by-elections in the MP seats falling vacant due to resignation of his party MPs.
The poll plank will obviously be the special category status and Naidu has absolutely no weapon to tackle this. Since these are sitting seats of the Jagan party MPs, they can easily win back their seats, but if the TDP loses here or fails to get even the last time’s voting percentage, it will be a big setback for Naidu.
It will increase the prospects of Jagan party in the 2019 elections and the issue of special category status will continue to remain alive.
Secondly, the resignation weapon is also aimed at attacking power star Pavan Kalyan, whose Jana Sena Party is indirectly helping the TDP. It is obvious that Pavan has started addressing public meetings, first at Tirupati and next at Kakinada and now in Anantapur on November 10, only to hijack the special category status issue from the YSR Congress party. His main objective is said to be diverting the people from Jagan.
But by declaring that his party MPs would resign and contest again on the poll plank of special category status, Jagan has virtually challenged Pavan to face the ballot and prove his worth.
Since fighting elections is not so easy as giving lectures from the dais, it will be difficult for Pavan to face this challenge.
