VIJAYAWADA: Dropping a bombshell on TDP, Chief Minister-designate YS Jagan Mohan Reddy described Amaravati, the capital city project, as a sensational scam, the biggest-ever allegedly involving TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and his benamis, and hinted at ordering a probe into the entire affair.
Asked if he would scrap Amaravati during a press conference in Delhi on Sunday, his first after the election results, Jagan, fully conscious of the capital problems, replied, “Amaravati is a catch-22 situation. We have to look into various scams in the entire project.”
Reiterating his oft-repeated allegation, he said, “Chandrababu Naidu was well aware of where the capital was going to come up, but he misled the people and at the same time, ensured that lands in the area were bought at cheaper prices. He himself in the name of his company Heritage had purchased 14 acres, while his benamis purchased large swathes in and around Amaravati. It all happened between May 2014, when the government was formed and December when the capital was announced.” Insider trading, which is punishable by law, had taken place, he alleged.
Jagan further said lands were forcibly taken away from the people in the name of land pooling while parcels belonging to Naidu and benamis were exempted.
“The lands acquired were given at whatever price to whomever Naidu wanted,” he said and lest he be accused of being vindictive, clarified: “I have nothing personal against Chandrababu Naidu, but being the custodian of the State, I have the task of cleansing the system and making it corruption-free and transparent.”
Earlier in the day, the YSRC chief, accompanied by MP Vijayasai Reddy, chief secretary LV Subramanyam and others, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held talks with him for a little over an hour. Jagan invited Modi for his swearing-in ceremony and both discussed a host of issues from financial situation of the State to special status. Jagan also paid a visit to BJP chief Amit Shah.
At the press conference, Jagan himself explained at length what transpired at the meeting and how the Prime Minister responded positively to his request for financial assistance to the State.
As for special status, Jagan Mohan Reddy said he had explained the need for it and stressed that he would keep meeting Modi till the demand was met.
However, what was more significant was he said about his plans for the administration of the State. Vowing to usher in revolutionary reforms in six months to one year to clean up the system, he said he will show how the system can be cleansed. Though keen to get going as soon as possible, he made it clear that he was in no hurry to form his cabinet. “I will take oath alone on May 30. The cabinet will be sworn in within a week or 10 days from there on,” he announced.
On projects, including Polavaram, the Chief Minister-designate explained that if any irregularities were identified, he will cancel the contracts, tweak pre-qualification norms and go in for “reverse tendering” to award contracts to those who quote less.
Specifically on Polavaram, he downplayed the question of who is going to execute it insisting that it is important that it be completed on time. His immediate focus is understandably on overhauling the administration and he said as much. After reviewing each department, he announced that he would come up with white papers as the people deserve to know the actual situation.
To repeated queries on what he asked the Prime Minister, Jagan replied that he had stressed the need for the Centre to come to the rescue of Andhra Pradesh, which is left with a debt burden of `2.57 lakh crore — up from `97,000 crore in 2014. Every year, the State pays Rs 20,000 crore to service the debt and coupled with prepayment of the principal component, the outgo is Rs 40,000 crore.
As for special status, he regretted that the BJP won a majority on its own though he had prayed that it would end up with 250 seats so that he could offer support in return for special status to the State. “Unfortunately that did not happen... the Prime Minister appeared positive and that is one step in the right direction. His body language was such that he wants to do something for the state from the bottom of his heart,” he revealed.
The Prime Minister was asked to be magnanimous in helping the state, that was pushed into a sorry
state of affairs by poor governance by the previous government, he added. But, in the same breath, he was quick to clarify that there will be no compromise on special status. “We will continue to pursue the matter. I would likely be meeting the Prime Minister 30-40 times in the next five years and every time, I will raise the issue and will not stop till SCS is given to the state,” he asserted.
To a query on Amit Shah, Jagan termed him the second-most powerful man in the country and said that was the reason for his meeting the BJP chief and seeking his help for the State. Shah was also invited for his swearing-in ceremony.
On his meeting with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, he said they spoke the same language and KCR had taken a step forward for cordial relations by extending support to the demand for SCS. “We have won a good number of MPs and standby each other and have mutual cooperation to benefit the respective states,” he said.
Asked if there are adequate funds for his ‘Navaratnalu’ (nine welfare schemes), Jagan said the very purpose of his visit to Delhi was to sort out the State finances.
“I have given my word and I will definitely fulfil it,” he said. When he was reminded of his promise to ban alcohol, the Chief Minister-designate reiterated that it will be implemented in a phased manner, reducing the government’s dependence on excise revenue and he would seek votes in 2024 only after implementing the promise made.
Asked about the 32 cases pending against him, the YSRC chief said the overwhelming mandate given by the people proves what they think of the cases.
“Petitioners in those cases were TDP and Congress. When my father YS Rajasekhara Reddy was the chief minister, I never visited the secretariat nor spoke with ministers or officers. I was living in Bangalore, not in Hyderabad. The cases were registered against me only after I quit Congress.”