VIJAYAWADA: The message was loud and clear from Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to some of his Cabinet colleagues. ‘Pull up your socks or face the music’.
During the two hour-odd Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Jagan discussed politics for nearly one hour during which he had reportedly pulled up some of his Cabinet colleagues for not performing well. Sources said Jagan had even hinted at dropping two or three ministers from the Cabinet.
The Chief Minister is learnt to be unhappy with some of his Cabinet colleagues for not giving a proper counter to the Opposition criticism with regard to their respective departments. He reportedly said he himself had to lead the counterattack against the Opposition and its friendly media and come to the rescue of the ministers.
“Why are you not reacting sharply to the Opposition and its friendly media’s scathing attack on the welfare schemes and development works pertaining to your departments?’’ Jagan reportedly questioned some of his ministers.
He told his colleagues that the Opposition was spreading canards against the government and even making baseless allegations on the family members of the ruling party leaders, including himself. It is learnt that Jagan referred to the Delhi liquor scam and highlighted the ministers’ failure to counter the criticism effectively. “I would not hesitate to rejig the Cabinet, if needed, unless the Opposition is not countered effectively,’’ Jagan reportedly stated.
He even referred to the criticism against his governance by the media friendly to the Opposition TDP. Naming a section of the media, Jagan reportedly asked his Cabinet colleagues not to take the propaganda easily any more.
Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana, speaking to the media after talks with the employees unions on the CPS, said the Opposition was even dragging the family members of Chief Minister into unnecessary controversies to get political mileage.
“TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu raised a hue and cry in the State Assembly alleging that his wife’s name was unnecessarily dragged into politics. But, the Opposition Leader is dragging the family of Jagan into unnecessary controversies now,’’ he alleged.