Improve Grades or Face Axe, Jagan's Veiled Threat to Non-Performing MLAs

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy gave one last chance to 18 poor performing legislators to better their graphs in due course if they aspired for the party ticket in the 2024 elections.

Nearly 70 MLAs were found to be non-performers in the beginning of Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam mass outreach programme. The figure eventually slid to 18.

Although he normally shows graphs on the electronic display board, this time, however, Reddy did not reveal the names of poor performers and said that he will talk to them directly.

The fresh mass outreach programme Jagananna Suraksha is turning into a ‘perform or perish’ situation for the under-performing MLAs. The 18 in the list apparently did not visit their constituencies, and failed to mingle with the public and the party cadre.

Reddy wondered why they were not going to the people who were receiving the benefits from the government. “I am giving money to the people. This never happened in the history of the state. It is not even happening in any other state. Why don’t you feel proud to go to the beneficiary and tell them that it is our government’s contribution? Tell them this is from Jagananna,” the Chief Minister told the MLAs.

The sources said that Reddy promised the poor performers that he would accommodate them in the government once elections are over. He asked the MLAs, who were unable to better grades, to work for the party candidate.

The sources said that Reddy had the latest survey reports of IPAC and those by different agencies, including the state intelligence wing.

The sources said that one glamorous woman minister and three firebrand former ministers, who continuously attack Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Nara Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan also figure in the 18 dubious MLAs list.

The present month-long Jagananna Suraksha will give them a chance to make amends and improve their grades and win back Reddy’s backing.

Former minister Perni Venakataramaiah (Nani) said that two camps would be held in every mandal twice a day for a month from July 1.

YSRC legislator Karanam Dharmasri said that there was nothing wrong in asking poor performers to improve their track-record.