Jagan moves closer to Centre, accompanies PM to Tirumala
TIRUPATI/AMARAVATI: In signs of growing bonhomie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, the latter on Sunday accompanied the PM during his thanksgiving visit to Tirumala after winning a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections. Modi reciprocated by promising Jagan all support from the Centre.
“I congratulate him (Jaganmohan) on his electoral victory and assure the people of Andhra Pradesh that the government at the Centre will commit itself and do all that is possible for the comprehensive development of the state,” Modi said. Describing Andhra as a “great land undergoing rapid progress on all fronts”, the PM said: “In Delhi, too, there is a formidable government now. We believe that to build a strong nation we need to take forward the development of all states in line with our mantra, Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas.”
Although Jagan’s YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is not an ally of BJP, Jagan lost no time after his Andhra victory to come closer to the BJP leadership to secure sops from the Centre to tackle a debt-hit state and empty coffers. Jagan and a group of ministers accorded Modi a warm welcome on his arrival at the Tirupati airport. As the CM bent forward to offer his respects, Modi patted him on the back and moved on.
Modi had a brief chat with Jagan during a closed-door meeting at a guest house in Tirumala after Lord Balaji’s darshan. Later, they left together for Tirupati airport.
As CM, Jagan is keen on getting central funds for big-ticket projects along with special category status for Andhra. Political experts say this would help Jagan in further pushing his political rival, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, into a corner, as the latter failed to achieve a special category status for the state.
