Hyderabad: Chinna Jeeyar Swamy in demand with bureaucrats

Hyderabad: Bureaucrats who believe that the YSR Congress is likely to form the government in Andhra Pradesh have tried every possible trick to get into the good books of the party leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Since religion is never far from politics in this country, some top babus in the Naidu government are using their high profile contacts to get an appointment with Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swamy at his ashram in Hyderabad.  They wish to seek his blessings but also to request him to do the needful in ensuring that no harm comes their way in the event of a change of guard in Andhra Pradesh.

Jagan Mohan Reddy and other senior party leaders are ardent followers of Chinna Jeeyar Swamy and have met him quite a few times. Their discussion centred around Andhra and national politics.

Getting appointment of seer isn’t an easy job
Over the last one month, the babus have revived their old contacts in Kadapa, Anantapur and Kurnool districts to meet all those people who are closely related to Mr Reddy.

Some have tried to reach out to him through his senior party leaders while a few have gone to the extent of requesting Mr Reddy's political strategists to “'put in a word.”

Sources privy to the developments told Deccan Chronicle that though the idea of meeting Chinna Jeeyar Swamy was floated by one bureaucrat during a random discussion with colleagues over the political scenario post May 23, at least two of his colleagues decided to visit the seer.

The godman is said to have much influence with top politicians and industrialists, and is often seen in the company of top politicians including BJP national president Amit Shah and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Getting an appointment with him is thus no easy task.

The bureaucrats are using various channels to get the appointment.

Sources said that one has approached a Hyderabad-based industrialist and also his batchmate, another bureaucrat has approached the high and mighty in the Telangana state government requesting that they get him an appointment.

“There are three more officials who are keen on meeting the godman before May 23 but they are still searching for the right contact through whom they can get an appointment,” sources said.

Jagan Mohan Reddy met the Swamy in October 2017 and in March this year and spent close to an hour discussing political developments specific to Andhra Pradesh.

Mr Reddy was accompanied by his Man Friday, V. Vijay Sai Reddy, and party MP P.V. Midhun Reddy. Sources within the YSR Congress say that Mr Reddy and other senior party leaders take the suggestions and advice of Chinna Jeeyar seriously.

The godman has been a philosophical advisor to K. Chandrasekhar Rao too for the last two decades and the Telangana state government had even formally invited him for Godavari Pushkarams. Mr Rao had once publicly stated that Chinna Jeeyar was a “blessing”.