Jagan to set foot in Chandrababu's home turf Kuppam, to stir political heat

KUPPAM: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy is scheduled to visit the Assembly constituency Kuppam on September 22 to lay the foundation stone for several development programmes. He is also set to release funds, on this occasion, for the fourth phase of YSR Cheyutha scheme, which provides financial assistance to SC, ST, BC and minority community women.

The Chief Minister had already sanctioned Rs 66 crores for the development works in Kuppam.

Jagan is set to leave Gannavaram Airport at 9:15 am and is scheduled to reach Kuppam at 10:45 am. The chief Minister will participate in a public meeting after releasing financial assistance under the YSR Cheyutha scheme and leave for Tadepalli at 1:20 pm.

More than the official engagements, YS Jagan's visit to Kuppam, the constituency of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, has assumed political significance. The YSRCP, especially, YS Jagan, has been focusing hard on Kuppam with the single-minded objective of wresting it from the TDP in the 2024 elections. He has won half the battle when the YSRCP made a clean sweep in this constituency during the panchayat, local bodies and municipal elections held in the state.

Jagan has been pursuing a two-pronged strategy of a political offensive to win over the TDP sympathisers to his fold besides a charm offensive in the form of a slew of development works to endear the general voters. The YSRCP's aggression in Kuppam, which became evident through the results of the recent elections, has literally pushed the TDP and its chief Chandrababu Naidu on to the backfoot.

The fear of a tough fight or losing the seat that he held for decades is making the TDP chief desperate. As never seen before, Naidu has been making frequent visits to the constituency in his last-ditch attempts to keep the TDP flock together and re-establish close contacts with the voters.

Jagan, on the other hand, is aiming for the 'big kill' as he feels that defeating Naidu in his own backyard would decimate the TDP completely. Incidentally, even as Jagan's visit to Kuppam was scheduled for September 22, the TDP chief made a quick dash to his constituency on Tuesday in what looked like a hurried visit.