HYDERABAD: Legislators loyal to YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy face an acid test on Monday. The Kadapa MP has asked all the 29 MLAs, who have resigned in his support, to meet the Governor and the Speaker and press for the acceptance of their resignations.Indications are that not all of them are eager to get their resignations accepted. When Jagan called a meeting of all the 29 legislators here on Sunday, six of them -- Konda Surekha, Jayasudha, B Gurunath Reddy, Kapu Ramachandra Reddy, Y Balanagi Reddy and N Prasanna Kumar Reddy -- did not turn up. However, the YSRC claimed they had some other pressing engagement. For instance Jayasudha was away in Chennai and Kapu Ramachandra Reddy was in Karnataka. The party was confident that their commitment to Jagan’s cause was unquestionable.Jagan, who is being buffeted by the CBI and the ED over his alleged ill-gotten wealth, apparently planned a trial of his strength and wanted to, in a way, “parade” his MLAs before Governor ESL Narasimhan. As the MLAs started arriving at his Lotus Pond residence in Banjara Hills this morning, he spent time talking to them individually. Each meeting lasted for about five to 10 minutes during which he allayed their fears over their political future implying that they would not be ignored after their resignations are accepted. According to sources, he, however, did not hold out any promises of nominating them for the by-elections.Jagan called the meeting with his MLAs in the wake of reports that some of them were in two minds over continuing in his camp, what with his image taking a hit with the CBI investigation into his assets. The intention of the meeting was to dispel the notion that they were slipping from his hold.What is raising doubts over their loyalty to Jagan is their tone and tenor. MLAs Balanagir Reddy and G Srikanth Reddy, who met the Speaker on Saturday in connection with the disqualification proceedings against them, sounded ambivalent.Srikanth Reddy said the Speaker’s decision was final while Balanagir Reddy said he would react only after the Speaker took a decision. The Speaker has asked two more MLAs, A Adinarayana Reddy and C Amarnath Reddy, to meet him on Monday. Disqualification proceedings are pending against seven MLAs, including one of the now-defunct Praja Rajyam, four of the Congress and two of the TDP.
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