Presidential Polls: Golden Chance For Jagan!

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has a golden chance to prove himself that he is committed to the development of the state. Reddy is scheduled to visit Delhi on Thursday and in the wake of the allegations that his Delhi tours are replete with vested interests, time has come for him to showcase his dedication to the people’s cause. There is information that Reddy’s appointment with Modi has been finalized this evening.

Ahead of the Presidential elections, Reddy can mount pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill all the promises made in the AP Reorgnisation Bill, during the bifurcation of the state.

Special category status to the state, stalling the privatization of Visakha Steel Plant, revision of Polavaram project cost estimate and reimbursing revenue deficit amount are top on the agenda of the state which have been promised but not fulfilled by the Centre, so far. In fact, Jagan can grill the Centre on these issues now.

The Presidential elections are not a cakewalk for the NDA. It cannot go alone and have its own candidate as the President. The BJP-led NDA has to take support of the ruling parties in the states to emerge victorious in these elections.

Grab the chance

In the wake of such a situation, Reddy can grab the chance as the YCP’s need is most crucial for the NDA government during the Presidential elections, say political experts. The notification for the Presidential elections would be released in the next few days and in the meanwhile, Modi is holding meetings with a few CMs to see if he can get their support.

Two days ago, Modi had met Odisha CM and BJD president Naveen Patnaik. The YCP leaders said that Reddy sought appointment with Modi after returning from Davos and the former readily agreed as the BJP needs YCP’s help. Jagan is likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah too during his Delhi tour today.

In 2017, the YCP’s ruse was that it could not insist that the Centre fulfil the most crucial demands of the state as the party leaders were sitting on the Opposition benches. Now, there is no such chance. The YCP votes are crucial both for the ruling and the Opposition parties at the Centre.

The electorate votes of the members of both the Houses in the Parliament amount to 5,47,284 and the NDA has 57% majority in both the houses. But, the electoral vote in the legislative Assemblies in is 5,46,525 and the NDA’s alliance parties have only 51% majority here.

No support in South

Hence, the votes of the leaders of political parties in south India have become most crucial. The BJP is in the ruling only in Karnataka. In Kerala, the neither the ruling Left Front nor the Opposition Congress would extend support to the BJP. In Tamil Nadu, Stalin-led DMK has tie-up with the Congress and Left parties which means there is no question of support from even this state. In Telangana, the ruling TRS is already breathing fire at the BJP. In these circumstances, the YCP’s support to the BJP has become a significant issue.

The YCP has 151 MLAs and 22 Lok Sabha MPs and 9 Rajya Sabha MPs. The YCP can take advantage of the situation and gain from it, say political experts.

There are allegations that Jagan had entered into an agreement with the NDA at the Centre as he is facing several ED and CBI cases and hence, remaining a mute spectator to several injustices being done to the state. Further, the Opposition parties have been charging Jagan with failing to lack commitment to issues plaguing the state since division.

Now, it has to be seen if Jagan would surrender to the BJP unconditionally or extend conditional support and put forward the list of unfulfilled promises as demands.