After meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah expressed reservations about the controversial yatra being undertaken by party Member of Parliament Jaganmohan Reddy.
"Where is the need for advice? How can I advise unless he seeks it? He never asked for permission," he told journalists when asked whether he gave any advice to Jagan, son of late Y S Rajashekhara Reddy.
Replying to a question that he had once termed Jagan as his son, the chief minister shot back, "Did I change my relationship? He is still like my son and I continue to treat him as my son."
There was no change in the relationship with Jagan, who was pulled up the party high command on the yatra issue, and law and order would be maintained, the chief minister said.
Rosaiah, who discussed party matters with Gandhi and senior Congress leader Motilal Vora, said the 12 seats where by-polls are scheduled for July 27, were held by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Telugu Desam Party and "whatever we (Congress) will win, it will be a gain for us".
Asked whether the Congress was planning any new slogan for the by-polls, Rosaiah said there was no need for this and elections would come and go and they were not "very important".
To a question whether Gandhi would be the star campaigner in the by-polls, the chief minister said there was no need for her to campaign, as there were a number of people to undertake that task.
Replying to a question on registration of case against the TRS MP Vijayshanti for making an allegedly inflammatory speech, he said it was a decision by the Election Commission and not by the state government.
