In surprise visit, Jagan meets Dasari

Hyderabad: In a surprise move, YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday met former Union minister and Tollywood bigwig Dasari Narayana Rao at his residence.

Mr Reddy who went to Dasari along with TTD Board former chairman Bhumana Karunakara Reddy did not speak to the media about his meeting. However the film director told reporters that he hoped Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy would emerge as a major leader in politics and he would have his blessings always.

The significance of the meeting is said to be that Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy was upset with the Kapus turning towards the TD-BJP combine particularly in the central Coastal districts of in the last general elections that prevented the YSRCongress from coming to power. Actor Pawan Kalyan’s influence on the Kapu community had helped TD-BJP combine to get a majority of seats.

After this Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy has been attempting to reach out to Kapus, Kammas and other sections said to have been alienated from the YSRCongress due to various reasons.

A few months ago, he and his trusted party leader Karunakara Reddy went to Ramoji Film City and met Mr Ramoji Rao whose media group focused intensely on Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s involvement in serious crimes by carrying a series of articles before and during the elections.

A few weeks ago, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy deputed party leader Ambati Rambabu to meet Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham. Now, the YSRC chief himself went to meet the director who is still a major influence on Kapus in East and West Godavari districts and reportedly sought his blessings for the party.

“We are not against any particular community or caste, we take everyone along, but unfortunately some people are trying to tarnish the image of Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy by spreading tales that he is against someone and favours a few. This is not correct, we meet everyone be it Ramoji Rao or Dasari. After all it is politics,” Mr Karunakara Reddy told Deccan Chronicle when asked about the surprise meeting between the two leaders.