Complete Round Up On Jagan’s Delhi Tour

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sudden visit to New Delhi has raised many eyebrows both in the political circles and among the public in the state as there appeared no burning issue that needed to be taken to the notice of the central government in an emergency.

However, it is learnt that it was not Jagan who sought the appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah but that a call from Delhi authorities prompted the CM to rush to Delhi.

After landing in Delhi on Tuesday evening, Jagan met Shah and spoke to him for nearly an hour about the financial crisis in the state due to Covid. The CM requested Shah to release the GST arrears and also the financial aid promised during the bifurcation of the state.

Jagan reportedly urged Shah to expedite the process of legalising the Disha Act and also the scrapping of the Legislative Council in the state. Sources said that Shah asked Jagan to meet him for a second time on Wednesday morning with discussion on some more issues remaining pending.

Insulting remarks against judiciary

Meanwhile, it is learnt that during the Tuesday meeting, Shah reportedly asked him about the AP government’s ‘excesses’ over the judiciary and also raised the issue of insulting remarks against the Supreme Court.

It is learnt that Shah told Jagan that it was not fair on the part of the AP government to pass accusative remarks against the judges and even use the Parliament as a platform for it. “Such sensitive issues should be dealt carefully. Going all out against the judiciary is not advisable,” he reportedly told Jagan.

There is information that when Jagan tried to explain the Union Home Minister that court cases were impeding day-to-day governance, the latter did not pay much attention to his words. Shah reportedly asked Jagan as to why the AP state government itself was targeting the courts when the judiciary is given utmost respect in the country. “If there is any issue, finalise it by appealing in the court but do not attack the judiciary,” Shah reportedly advised Jagan.

Jagan reportedly spoke of the criminal cases filed against him when the issue of the Supreme Court deciding to finalise cases filed against economic frauds and criminal cases registered against elected representatives, came up for discussion.

Insider trading in Amaravati

It is learnt that Jagan also urged Shah to order for CBI probe into insider trading by the TDP leaders in Amaravati lands and finalising of tenders against the rules in Fiber Grid projects. Jagan also sought CBI inquiry into the gutting of Antarvedi temple chariot but Shah seems to have given no assurance about these issues.

At this time, Shah reportedly asked Jagan about the series of attacks on temples and priests in AP to which Jagan gave his explanation.

The Union Home Minister asked about the measures being taken by the state government to check the Corona spread and deaths also about other development programmes in the state.

Though it is being said that the CM flew to Delhi to submit memoranda to various Union ministers on different issues, some sources said that it was the central government which called up Jagan and asked him to meet the Union Home Minister. It is learnt that the Centre which has been keenly observing the developments in the state had considered the attack on the judiciary system very seriously.

Despite the YCP MPs’ anti-judiciary remarks in the Parliament have been deleted from the records, the leaders iterated the same comments before the media on the premises of the Parliament and Shah took exception to it.

One-on-one meeting

Usually, the CM, accompanied by the higher officials, meet the Union ministers in Delhi if they have to discuss issues relating to the state. However, this time, Jagan took his advocates too to Delhi. Advocate General Sriram Subrahmanyam, advocate Bhushan, son of former Chief Justice of Supreme Court Justice Chalameshwar, RS member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, CM Peshi officials Praveen Prakash, Krishna Mohan Reddy, Parameswar Reddy accompanied Jagan to Delhi. But, it was the CM alone who met Shah in the end though MP Bala Shourie, Praveen Prakash, Krishna Mohan Reddy travelled with him in the car till Shah’s official residence.

Video conference with MPs

On the other hand, the PMO officials held a video conference with YCP MP Mithun Reddy and V. Vijayasai Reddy who made objectionable comments against the judiciary in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively, even when Jagan was speaking to Shah on Tuesday evening. Though the YCP leaders have been claiming that the duo discussed development programmes in the state, the simultaneous meetings raised many doubts.

After the video conference, the duo reached Jagan’s residence at Janpath to apprise him about their discussion with the PMO officials.

Jagan Meets Shekawat

Meanwhile, before meeting Shah for a second time on Wednesday, Jagan met Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and sought reimbursement of the Rs 4,000 crore spent on Polavaram, as it is a national project and also release the rehabilitation funds at the earliest. He also invited Shekhawat to visit Polavaram project. It is learnt that the AP government is planning to complete the Polavaram project by December, 2021.

Jagan also sought funds for completion of other irrigation projects in the state. They also discussed alignment of Godavari-Kaveri rivers and in response, the Union minister told the taskforce chairman Vedire Sriram to make a tour to AP.

YCP MPs Mithun Reddy and V. Vijayasai Reddy also accompanied Jagan when he went to meet Shekhawat.