Three Jolts To Jagan From Ministers In A Month

In a matter of just one month, three ministers of Jagan’s Cabinet had put the Chief Minister in a tight spot. It has been 15 months since Jagan came to power in Andhra Pradesh. While the earlier 14 months posed a different kind of challenges like shortage of sand, Corona crisis and admonishing by the courts, Jagan managed to divert people’s attention from them by showing false numbers and statistics.

However, the last one month proved very tough for Jagan. The gutting of the wooden chariot at Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Antarvedi and the series of attacks on temples and temple properties led to both the CM and endowments minister Vellampalli Srinivas face severe backlash from the public.

Jagan also proclaimed that the YCP government was synonymous to “non-corrupt governance” but minister Gummanuru Jayaram had left the CM in an embarrassing situation with the Benz car issue having links to the Rs 150-crore ESI scam. The latest incident which brought more disrepute to the YCP government was minister Kodali Nani’s ‘insensitive and incendiary’ remarks against the Hindu gods and traditions. With Nani dragging PM Modi into the TTD Declaration row, it was like the YCP government itself giving a weapon to the BJP to attack it.

Political circles are abuzz that these three ministers have landed the CM in an unprecedented trouble.

The attacks on temples, desecration of idols and temple assets had hurt the sentiments of Hindus in the state. Endowments minister Vellampalli Srinivas visited Antarvedi after the wooden chariot of the temple was gutted but he faced the wrath of the BJP, Bajrang Dal, RSS and the Hindu devotees too there. They gheraoed him, ministers Pinipe Viswaroop and Chelluboyina Venu Gopala Krishna too during their visit. The BJP, TDP and Jana Sena had already charged the YCP government with being non-chalant towards the attacks as part of a conspiracy against Hinduism. It is being said that the CM had expressed dissatisfaction over Vellampalli for failing to assess the situation properly and taking action against the culprits.

“When the police are able to catch a drug peddler transporting 10 gm of ganja in a remote area, why are they not able to apprehend at least one culprit behind the series of attacks on temples in the state,” asked the BJP to which the YCP could not give a proper reply.

Even while the agitations against the vandalism of temples were raging across the state, minister Gummanuru Jayaram had pushed the CM into another problem. There were allegations that the police raided the gambling den belonging to the minister’s brother in their hometown, Gummanuru. Jayaram condemned the allegations and said that the club was not owned by his brother. This apart, there were charges that one of the accused in the Rs 150-crore ESI scam, Karthik, had gifted a Benz car to Jayaram’s son, which led to severe criticism from the TDP which was already seething with anger after the party senior leader K. Atchnnaidu was arrested in connection with the same case.

Further, the TDP reminded that it was basing on the cabinet sub-committee’s recommendations only that the ACB included Karthik as A-14 in the ESI scam. It is learnt that Jagan became serious over this issue too and is planning to take stern action once the probe is complete.

Even before the issues could be forgotten, Kodali Nani’s inflammatory remarks against the Hindu gods and temple traditions had triggered the entire Hindu community and the BJP to launch a verbal attack on the minister. The BJP even staged state-wide agitation demanding that Nani be expelled from the Cabinet.

At one point of the argument when the Hindus demanded that Jagan sign on the TTD Declaration and submit the silk clothes to Lord Balaji accompanied by his wife, Nani dragged PM Modi into the row saying: “Ask Modi and UP CM Yogi also to perform rituals along with their wives at the Ram Mandir.”

These insulting remarks raised the hackles of the BJP and the YCP government was pushed into the defence. With Modi being dragged into the row, Nani’s remarks gained significance at the nation-level and it is learnt that Jagan is also unhappy with Nani for pulling Modi too into the muddle.

In fact, Nani made those comments in a bid to defend Jagan but the attempt boomeranged and the YCP government itself had to go into defence. Then, YCP government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy told the media that it was not fair on the part of the minister (Nani) to make such harsh comments and even said that he too could have realised it.