Jagan warns ministers, MLAs to be careful, poll-ready; targets 175 Assembly seats

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has taunted a few of his colleague ministers and legislators about their 'below par' performance.

Jagan addressed the legislators at an introspection session in the veil of a review here on Wednesday.

He wanted them to buck up, lest their candidacies to seek a reelection might be at stake. As the elections were 19 months away, all elected representatives must work hard like students preparing for final examinations. Complacency would cost them very dearly.

Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Home Minister Thaneti Vanitha, another minister Pinipe Viswarup, MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, were among the many who were reportedly warned to buck up.

Jagan told all legislators not to field their heirs in the next elections, even as some of them were preparing their children to contest. The Chief Minister exhorted the legislators to target 175 out of 175 Assembly seats.

Jagan said that one I-PAC executive would be attached to each and every MLA from October 15.

He also warned Ministers Roja and Karumuri Nageswara Rao; former ministers Kondali Nani, Balineni Srinivas Reddy and Alla Nani too to pull up their socks and work hard. He named 27 MLAs in the "performance improvement programme".

He made it clear to all MLAs and party members on Wednesday that the goal should be to win all 175 seats in the next elections, which was not at all an impossible target.

Jagan said there were no shortcuts and every leader should take part in activities for at least 16 days in a month and tell people about the welfare activities being carried out by the Government. He reaffirmed that the Gadapa Gadapaku campaign should be carried out for 16 days in a month with the goal of winning all 175 seats.

Sources said that Chief Minister YS Jagan voiced his displeasure over the performance of MLAs Gandhi Srinivas, Dhanalakshmi, Adeep Raj, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, and Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy. He further warned these leaders to be vigilant and to meet people four days a week.

He also advised them to resolve people's problems and ensure funds were sanctioned to village and ward secretariats during their visits.

"Elections are 19 months away, and we must stick to the plan," he said, adding that the next review would be held in the first week of December.

He also said, "With 87 percent of households benefiting from our welfare schemes and 98.4 percent of promises of disbursing Rs 1.71 lakh crores fulfilled, winning all 175 is not at all impossible. When you go to the village ward secretariat, you must visit all of the houses."

Jagan went on to say that there would be changes in contestants if necessary six months before the elections based on the performance. He wanted all ministers and former ministers to work hard to get there.