Hyderabad:
Jaganmohan Reddy visited Bhavani's humble home in Khammam district. Bhavani's husband Srinivas, a peasant, had consumed poison, reportedly unable to bear the news of YSR's death last September. Jagan is visiting 642 such bereaved families, promising them financial help.
"We are feeling as though God came to us. We believe it is our luck that he came to us,'' said Bhavani, Srinivas's widow.
Jagan's supporters say this tour is being deliberately kept low-profile as the high-decibel level campaign to make him chief minister last year backfired.
"I am not in chief minister's seat and I cannot give any assurance how much help I can do. But this minister was faithful to my father. I will request him to do the needful,'' said Jagan.
But the posters all over different towns of Khammam district speak louder than words, that the Congress leadership cannot ignore him. Rosaiah's supporters however say they do not have an issue with Jagan's agenda.
"It is not a political tour. He is not going to gain anything out of this," said P Shankar Rao, MLA & Rosaiah supporter.
Interestingly, senior ministers from every district that he is travelling to, are by his side, perhaps as a show of loyalty.
In the summer of 2003, YSR walked from one end of Andhra Pradesh to the other, a journey that helped him come to power the following year. Seven years on, Jagan is braving the Khammam heat of 45 degrees plus, wanting to get his place under the sun.