When YSR Congress party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy assumes office on May 30 as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, his priority will be the implementation of ‘Navaratnas’, the nine programmes meant to bring overall development to the state. However, the completion of the mega capital Amaravati, one of the pet projects of outgoing Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, might take a back seat.
“Amaravati is not our priority. The government that is seeking status reports from almost all departments, particularly on the status of finances of the state, will have to set its agenda right. The new government might even look into the irregularities in the acquisition of land and also disposal of land before taking up any work on Amaravati,” a senior party leader said.
The new administration is staring at a huge revenue deficit that it must surmount with the help of huge loans. “We really don’t know what Chandrababu Naidu has done in the past five years. Not even a single project is completed but the coffers are empty,” Bala Souri, the Machilipatnam MP-elect, said.
He was among the newly elected MLAs and MPs of the YSR Congress party that made a beeline to the Tadepalli residence-cum-party office here on Friday to congratulate the CM-elect YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
Many of the MLAs who arrived to greet Jagan have expressed their wish to become a minister in Jagan’s cabinet. “There are 150 winners and everyone wants to be a part of the administration. But it is the prerogative of the leader,” said Ambati Rambabu, an MLA-elect.
However, it is not yet clear whether Jagan alone will take oath on May 30. Senior IAS and IPS officers, TTD EO, Tirumala priests have met Jaganmohan Reddy.
On Saturday, party legislators will elect Jagan as the legislature party leader. After that, the CM elect will leave for Hyderabad to meet the Governor ESL Narasimhan at the Raj Bhavan. Party sources said that Jagan will also offer prayers at his father YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s resting place in Idupulapaya, Kadapa District, on Sunday. He will also offer prayers at local religious places.
The state police have pressed a six-vehicle convoy with a signal jammer into service. At the state secretariat, the photographs of Nara Chandrababu Naidu and nameplates of past ministers were also being removed.