SOUTH
The TDP has not been able to digest the fact the BJP union ministers are more than willing to entertain Jagan during his New Delhi visits.
In the past 22 months, Jagan met Prime Minister Modi and many union ministers such as Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti.
It is rare for a non-NDA opposition leader to visit Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and other union ministers to present them with memos. The memos range from the seeking of liberal assistance to AP to one on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's corruption.
The latest irritant for TDP was Jagan's meetings with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday.
What embarrassed the TDP is that both ministers gave appointments to Jagan despite the fact that he was in Delhi ostensibly to malign CM Naidu and tarnish the image of the TDP government with false charges of corruption.
They gave unusual importance to Jagan in receiving him and listening to the corruption charges against Naidu.
Peeved at the meetings, TDP expressed displeasure over these meetings and requested the Centre to desist from encouraging economic offenders such as Jagan.
Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley appears have realised what Naidu's strategy in Andhra Pradesh is – ‘all development is mine and every failure is because of PM Modi's non-cooperation’
Party spokesperson and MLC YB Rajendraprasad felt Rajnath Singh should not have given an appointment to Jagan.
"He (Jagan) is involved in a dozen economic offices. He spent a year in Jail. He is an accused in many cases which are on trial in the CBI court. How could the Home Minister give an audience to such an economic offender?," Rajendraprasad asked.
He also reminded how the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had denied an audience to opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu's delegation during UPA regime on two occasions. Unhappy with Singh’s attitude, Naidu took a vow not to meet Singh again, he recalled.
On the other hand, YSRCP was extremely happy with the outcome of the meetings between Jaganmohan Reddy and Rajnath Singh and Jaitley.
According to an MLA, who was present in the meetings, both the union ministers said they had received similar reports from the state BJP as well.
"Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley appears have realised what Naidu's strategy in Andhra Pradesh is – ‘all development is mine and every failure is because of PM Modi's non-cooperation’.
So, the two important union ministers were happy to receive Jagan and get more feedback about the happenings in Naidu's government and politics," a senior YSRC MLA said.