The “Atmeeya Sammelanam” convened by Y S Vijaya Lakshmi, widow of former chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, supposedly in commemoration of her husband on his 12th death anniversary on September 2 is now a hot topic of discussion in the Telugu states.
Conflicting reports are emerging from various sources as to why Vijayamma was holding such a meeting for the first time 12 years after her husband’s untimely death, the timing of such a meeting, its purpose and who would be attending it.
The invitation sent to the media indicated that Vijayamma has invited about all the erstwhile associates of late YSR, including his past cabinet colleagues, friends, media friends and well-wishers, for the meeting to be held at Hall No. 4 of HICC, Hotel Novotel at 5.30 pm on September 2, followed by dinner.
According to sources, around 150 people have been invited for the meeting which has been named as “YSR Samsmarana Sabha” (YSR Memorial Meeting).
If it is purely a memorial meeting, nobody would have suspected it, but the media invitation said it would be a non-political and non-party programme, instead of just a memorial meeting.
It led to the talk that there is definitely something more to it than what meets the eye. If it is purely a memorial meeting, it would be attended by her son and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, daughter and YSR Telangana party president Y S Sharmila and other family members.
And it could have been held at YSR Samadhi in Idupulapaya and all the admirers of YSR would attend the same.
In fact, there are reports that Sharmila and Vijayamma are not likely to join Jagan at the memorial prayer at Idupulapaya and they would leave the place before his arrival.
The fact that Vijayamma chose to hold the “memorial” meeting at Hyderabad instead of Idupulapaya itself is an indication that she has a different agenda. What her agenda still remains a suspense.
Now, the question is who all would be attending the meeting convened by Vijayamma.
According to sources, she has sent invitations to people like K V P Ramachandra Rao, Vundavalli Arun Kumar and Lagadapati Rajagopal, Dharmana Prasada Rao, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana etc from Andhra Pradesh, D Srinivas, Sabita Indra Reddy, Suresh Reddy, K Kesava Rao, T Jeevan Reddy, Komatireddy brothers and Sunitha Lakshma Reddy from Telangana.
Some of them are in the Congress, some in YSR Congress, some in Telugu Desam Party and some others in Telangana Rashtra Samithi. A few of YSR’s followers have also moved to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
But one wonders whether these leaders who are in different parties would attend Vijayamma’s meeting without knowing her agenda. Those in YSRC might not dare to attend the meeting if Jagan is not invited.
Similarly, those who joined the other parties like the TDP, TRS and the BJP, too, are unlikely to attend the meeting as it would send wrong signals to their respective party leadership.
So, it will be interesting to watch who all will share the dais with Vijayamma under these peculiar political circumstances.