Andhra Pradesh Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy today appeared defiant as he announced his decision to go ahead with his controversial yatra from July 8 despite party chief Sonia Gandhi's reservations about it. Jagan, who defied the party directive against undertaking the yatra earlier, had met Gandhi along with his family members on June 29 to seek her permission for the tour. The meeting took place in New Delhi on the request of Jagan?s mother Vijayalakshmi.

"We explained to her the need to resume the yatra to console the family members of those who died following the death of my father (Y S R Reddy).