‘Jagan’s fast decisions style backfired’

Many people who closely worked with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy often say that he is known for taking very quick decisions. Former Chief Secretary LV Subrahmanyam, who once worked directly with Jagan, recently spoke about this work style and said, “Jagan’s rapid actions actually caused him a lot of damage.”

According to Subrahmanyam, Jagan doesn’t take suggestions or advice from others. He makes decisions quickly and sticks to them, no matter what others say. This kind of leadership, he says, led to several problems during the YSRCP government.

One major example was the sand policy. Before Jagan came to power, sand was available for free. But after taking office, he removed the free sand policy. This sudden change left thousands of workers jobless. In some cases, families even faced starvation, and there were reports of people dying from hunger.

Another issue was the liquor policy. The YSRCP government made massive changes in how liquor was sold and distributed. There were allegations that only people close to Jagan got licences for new distilleries. Despite public backlash, Jagan didn’t take a step back.

Subrahmanyam revealed that even when officials tried to suggest a different path, Jagan would simply say, “That decision is already made. Tell me something else.” Many officers were surprised by this attitude. He said Jagan treated the Chief Minister’s job like a regular government duty—coming in by 11 AM and leaving by 6 PM—without showing the seriousness expected from a leader.

LV Subrahmanyam said Jagan believed money and power could solve everything. But his quick decisions, lack of long-term vision, and inability to listen led to negative public opinion. Even if Jagan believed his decisions were good, they ended up creating problems for both the government and the people.