“The Jagan that I imagined is different quite different from the Jagan that I have seen today,” declared Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, after meeting the YSR CP chief in Chanchalguda Jail along with his son Ratnakar.
Dadi, who quit TDP recently, said he was greatly impressed by the commitment shown by Jagan to bring about a change in the governance if he were to be given a chance. He said Jagan had explained to him his vision of taking the state forward. “I feel if youth were given power, they would bring about a change in the state”, he said.
He also paid rich tributes to YSR, whom he compared to the late NTR in implementing welfare programs to the poor and the needy. YSR was a colleague for nearly 30 years in politics and the late chief minister always had a good word for him even though he was critical of YSR.
He said he was happy after meeting Jagan in jail and announced he had decided to work with Jagan and stand by the YSR family.
Asked about his scathing attacks against Jagan in the past, Dadi replied that he was only articulating the party stand. “I am not an individual but a party spokesperson, as spokesperson it was my duty to express the opinions of the party,” he clarified.
He said though he had been asked by leaders such as Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, YSR and Chiranjeevi to switch to their side in the past, but did not do so. Now, since Chandrababu does not want him in the party, he was forced to leave.
Dadi later met Vijayamma at Lotus Pond and formally joined the YSR Congress Party.
