YSR Congress party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy sent a sort of warning signal to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre, asking it not to underestimate his party.
Addressing the party MPs at his Tadepalli camp office on Friday, Jagan said nobody can write off the YSRCP just because it had lost the just concluded assembly elections in the state, as it still had the capacity to dictate terms at the Centre.
The NDA might be banking on the 16 Lok Sabha members of the Telugu Desam Party.
“But we have 15 MPs – including 11 Rajya Sabha members and four Lok Sabha members. So, we also have a strong presence in Parliament and can play a crucial role,” Jagan said.
He said the YSRCP would extend issue-based support to whichever side in Parliament – it could be opposition block or the NDA, keeping in view the best interests of the state and the country.
“Our party takes a stand on any issue in the interest of the welfare of the people,” he said.
Jagan asked the party MPs to follow the party’s philosophy and agenda and raise the issues concerning the state. Every issue that is raised in Parliament should be discussed thoroughly with the party, he said.
He announced Rajya Sabha member Y V Subba Reddy as the parliamentary party leader, while V Vijay Sai Reddy would act as the party floor leader in Rajya Sabha and P Mithun Reddy in Lok Sabha.