Not worried about Jagan yatra: Congress

Congress on Wednesday downplayed the defiance by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy who resumed his 'yatra', saying it was not worried by the issue related to "one MP" who could be indulging in "childish behaviour".

Party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said All India Congress Committee in-charge of Andhra Pradesh M Veerappa Moily will look into the issue at the state level when he returns from abroad.

Moily is in London and will return on next Tuesday. "There are far greater issues to deal with, like the Jammu and Kashmir situation and the economy. This is not an issue on which we are worried about," Natarajan told mediapersons in New Delhi when asked to comment on Reddy's decision to go ahead with the 'Odarpu yatra' despite party's unhappiness over it.

"This is an issue of one MP". Asked whether Reddy, son of former Chief Minister Y S R Reddy had defied the Congress directive by undertaking the yatra, Natarajan said, "I am sure the MP knows what the party line is".

Commenting on the issue, a senior party leader said, "It is an emotional issue. He is new to politics. It could be a childish behaviour on his party."

These statements come on a day when Reddy resumed his yatra even as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah asked his Cabinet colleagues and party legislators to stay away from the Kadapa MP's campaign.

Notwithstanding party chief Sonia Gandhi's reservations about it, Reddy has decided to resume his controversial yatra to console party workers grieving his father's loss.

Reddy, who had defied the party directive against undertaking the yatra in May also, had met Gandhi along with his family members on June 29 to seek her permission for the tour.

During the meeting, Gandhi had suggested assembling the affected families at one place to console them and also to offer financial assistance. In an open letter to the people, Jaganmohan said, "We explained to her the need to resume the yatra to console the family members of those who died following the death of my father. She (Sonia Gandhi) did not cite any specific reason but did not appear to be favourably inclined over resuming the yatra."