After the BJP lost the state, the first ever it gained in the south, the party started realizing how the Congress ruined its chances through its own leaders.

First, Congress cried foul when the then Chief Minister Yedyurappa was indicted by the Lok Ayukta in corruption charges. It fought persistently for the removal of Yedyurappa. Even after being removed from the Chief Minister’s post, Yedyurappa wanted to continue in the party. Only he wanted to be made the state party chief. As he was not loyal to top leader Advani, he was not given that opportunity.

Observers say it was Congress which was behind Yedyurappa’s move to launch his own party so that he could have his sweet revenge. Congress strongly supported him from behind, so that the BJP votes would be split, to its advantage. Analysts say that BJP lost 80 seats because of the split and otherwise would have easily got 120 seats. With these 80 added to its tally, Congress got 120 seats instead.

This is how Congress won the Karnataka elections, now analysts say. BJP also realized very late that it should not have allowed Yedyurappa leave the party.

In Andhra Pradesh, when the then Mega Star Chiranjeevi launched his PRP and fought the 2009 elections, Congress was only too happy that one more party arrived on the scene to split the anti-incumbency votes. It was even alleged that Congress leaders supported the PRP surreptitiously. Result is Chiranjeevi split a major chunk of anti-incumbency votes that might have gone in favour of the TDP and deprived Chandra Babu Naidu of a chance to become the Chief Minister.

Now Congress High Command is trying to perform this magical strategy in Andhra Pradesh, to counter the Jagan factor in the Seemandhra region and the KCR factor in Telangana.

Congress has already made an attempt to weaken the TRS earlier. It encouraged Rashtriya Lok Dal President and union minister Ajit Singh to launch the Telangana unit of his party. Ajit appointed Indira Dileep Kumar, wife of MLC Dileep Kumar as his party’s working president. Ajit Singh also had the blessings of Congress MP Madhu Yashki, senior leader Kesava Rao and Telangana JAC convener Prof. Kodandaram. Kodandaram who was then having differences with KCR also was willing to throw his weight behind the Telangana RLD.

However, Ajit Singh could not come up to the expectations of the Congress leadership. After the launch, the party had done nothing to mobilize people’s support.

It is learnt that some Congress leaders posing as dissidents are trying to encourage Kodandaram to launch a political party himself or make some trusted person of his, to launch one. Congress is hoping that if a new party was launched with the blessings of the JAC convener, it would surely attract the attention of the people and get a considerable share of the Telangana votes.

The party is also on the look out for another strong political party in the Seemandhra region to split Jagan votes there. It may try to use the Rayalaseema sentiment and dissident leaders like Konatala Rama Krishna to marginalize Jagan in the Seemandhra area.

Kishan Reddy reportedly told Surekha that she would be given any ticket of her choice in Warangal district in the next elections.

It may be recalled that the Konda couple were estranged with the YSR Congress as their importance was diminished. Their supporters are sore that some of the recent entrants were getting more importance than them. Angry supporters of the couple had recently locked up the party office in Warangal and taking a serious view of the incident, the YSR Congress party’s disciplinary committee suspended four of Konda’s supporters from the party.

On knowing Supreme Court’s verdict denying bail to Jaganmohan Reddy on Thursday, Ambati held a media conference in the party office here.

Addressing the media, Rambabu alleged that both the Congress and TDP had conspired to weaken his party by ensuring that the Apex Court deny bail to Jaganmohan Reddy. However, the party leaders and activists would work more vigorously for strengthening the party and send shockwaves to both the parties, he said, adding that the people in the State were eager to defeat both the villainous parties in the elections. He also alleged that the Congress and the TDP have joined hands to ensure that Jagan remain in the jail, lest their chapters would be closed the moment the Kadapa MP stepped out of the prison. He appealed to the people to realize the game plan of the ruling party and the main Opposition.

Ambati said the dreams of Congress and TDP to destroy the YSRCP remained unfulfilled even as both the parties conspired to confine Jagan behind bars for the last one year. Stating that the morale of the party cadres was high and were working more vigorously, Rambabu exhorted the activists not to get dejected because the party chief was not granted bail. He also asked the party cadres not to fall in the trap of the rival parties as they were playing mind game. Justice would be done after four more months if not now, he added.

The YSRCP spokesperson said they expected that the party chief would be granted bail after the Apex Court passed strictures against the Centre as well as the CBI. He also alleged that CBI  prosecutor Ashok Bhan was talking like Congress representative in the court. Stating that they have immense faith in the judiciary, Ambati lamented that the courts have believed the sweet talk of the CBI.

Stating that his party would go ahead under the leadership of party’s honorary president YS Vijayamma in spite of the absence of Jagan, Rambabu said the Supreme Court has fixed a deadline for the CBI to complete investigation within four months and file a final charge-sheet. He said the CBI has so far failed to prove its charges. He also said that the party was ready for local body elections. Dismissing reports about rifts in the party, he said there was no dissidence and added that small differences were common in any party.

Talking to the English channel NDTV, she said it was the aim of the CBI to keep Jagan in jail as long as possible and even a small kid knew it.

Recalling that the agency has been investigating the case for the last 21 months, Bharati said when Jagan filed bail petition in October, CBI asked for 3 more months of time. Now, 8 months had passed and the agency was asking for 4 more months. She also pointed at the CBI counsel’s talk  soon after the court’s verdict that they might ask for extension of even that time. She said these words themselves show that the agency had no intention of concluding the case in the near future. Alleging that there was no progress at all in the investigation, Bharati reminded about the statement of the union minister Kotla Surya Prakasha Reddy that Jagan would not get bail until he merged his party in Congress.

She also recollected how another senior union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also said that Jagan would not have faced all these cases if he remained in the Congress. Stating that people knew that all the cases against Jagan were false, she said whenever elections were held, people would teach them a fitting lesson. Alleging that Congress influences the CBI, she said this was evident from the way the agency handled the DMK, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayavati and Yeddyurappa alliance.

Speaking on the charges of allying with the UPA, she questioned why Jagan would be in jail if there was such an agreement. She said they would keep the national interests in view in the next elections. She lamented that those who issued GOs and were responsible for the irregularities were moving about freely, while  Jagan who was no way connected to the GOs,  was sent to jail.

Followers of the couple are seething with anger at the way they were being treated by the party which chose to give important positions to new entrants like the TV anchor Rani Rudrama Devi. It is learnt that there would be mass resignations of the followers of the Konda couple. YSR Congress district convener Srinivasa Reddy would be the first to leave, say sources.

Srinivasa Reddy met Konda Murali  Friday morning and reportedly expressed anguish that even he was not informed of the suspension of four important functionaries of the district. It may be recalled that four followers of the Konda couple were suspended from the party for locking up the party office recently, in protest against the  importance being given to new entrants.

The meeting of Srinivasa Reddy with Murali attained importance in this backdrop. It is being said that though Murali counseled him to wait for some more time so that they could all take a decision, he is unlikely to listen. He may announce his decision to quit the party, say sources.

Meanwhile, Konda couple has been seriously studying the offer given by the BJP to join the party. BJP state president Kishan Reddy spoke to Surekha and invited her and her husband into the party. It is learnt that Kishan Reddy offered them seats of their choice as well as district leadership of the party.

Why is Jagan angry?

It is learnt that Jagan was also angry with the Konda couple. It is being said that Jagan who gave total control to the Konda couple as he was grateful to them for leaving their positions and the ruling party, was hurt by their highhanded attitude. Jagan reportedly received complaints that Surekha and her husband have been acting as they were a power unto themselves. They were not caring for anyone in the party excepting Vijayamma, said sources. It is also learnt that they imposed a condition that none in the party should interfere with the district affairs. When their followers finally locked up the district office, Jagan’s patience was worn out, say sources. It is in this context that he reportedly instructed party leaders to enforce discipline.

Though YSR Congress leaders have been stating that the Konda couple was not unhappy, the two had not come into the open and made their minds clear so far. It is being said that they had decided to leave the party. Which party to join is the question the two were now considering as they have invitations both from the Congress and the BJP. Even the Congress is reportedly feeling that Konda Surekha was a strong leader and would be useful for the party in the next elections.

Now there are twitter posts that he would come into active politics from June. According to party sources, Lokesh’s wife Brahmani (Bala Krishna’s daughter) would be completing her education by June and return to India. It is being said that she would be given the responsibility of Heritage and Lokesh would plunge into active politics.

Chandra Babu Naidu who has been making a separate declaration for every section of the society, is going to make a youth declaration, announcing the measures “his government” would undertake for the youth. It is learnt that Lokesh would be entrusted the job of taking this declaration into the youth.

Demanding a meeting of the Congress legislature party immediately, he said the meeting should discuss the working of the government, the CM’s style of functioning and the corruption of ministers. He said the opinions of the MLAs should be taken in the meeting. He also said he would write to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi about these issues. He said the party would face a rout if the same cabinet continued and added that the Congress party would have future only if the Chief Minister and some of the ministers were removed.