VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy made good use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city by currying BJP’s favour, stonewalling a possible tie-up of BJP, TD and Jana Sena, and projecting Visakhapatnam as a strategic capital, political experts said.
Even as Opposition parties criticised the bonhomie between Jagan Mohan Reddy and Modi at the event, the Chief Minister hit back, saying that the relationship with the Centre was above party lines and there was no other agenda besides developing the state, by winning the 2024 polls.
Jagan Mohan Reddy said, “Our relationship with the Central government is above parties and politics. Except for our state's interests, we have no other agenda and we will never have one. AP is yet to recover from the wounds of bifurcation, even after eight years.”
Responding to provocation by Opposition parties to take up pending issues of the state, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he raised issues, ranging from the Polavaram project and the special category to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant issue and setting up of a railway zone, with the Prime Minister on several occasions.
Political observers said that Modi’s comments, showering immense praise on Visakhapatnam, during his visit, was a wise ploy by the YSRC chief to dash the hopes of political parties who were banking on protests against the three-capitals plan.
During the event, Modi had said: “It (Visakhapatnam) is a very special city for the entire country. In ancient India, Visakhapatnam port was a prominent port city and it has been one of the most important commercial centres of the country. Development will take place wherever there is a coast line.”
Political experts said that Modi was all smiles when Jagan Mohan Reddy was speaking about decentralised administration and seeking adequate help to develop the port city. They, however, said that it was unlikely that Modi would commit to the three-capitals plan till the Supreme Court gives clearance.
Senior political experts also said that Modi stonewalled Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan’s efforts towards setting up a BJP-TD-JS alliance, which boosted Jagan’s chances of continued governance.
They said that while the opposition parties had been ramping up pressure on the government by raising the issues of unfulfilled promises, Jagan Mohan Reddy has made use of Modi’s visit to thwart Opposition criticism and convince the public about getting the state’s issues resolved.
