Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday left for a one-day visit to New Delhi and is expected to meet at least five Union ministers on Tuesday, before returning to Amaravati later in the evening.
The visit comes amid a series of unexpected political developments in Andhra Pradesh, particularly the controversy over the CBI-led SIT report on adulteration of Tirumala ghee which triggered a huge political slugfest in the state.
Sources said Naidu is scheduled to meet Union home minister Amit Shah. Apart from governance-related matters, political issues are also expected to feature prominently in their discussions, particularly the latest developments in the ‘laddu’ controversy, including the charge sheet reportedly filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Chandrababu Naidu may brief the Union home minister on these developments.
Meanwhile, speculation is rife in political circles in New Delhi about a possible expansion of the Union Cabinet, with discussions suggesting that Andhra Pradesh may be allotted an additional ministerial berth.
This has triggered debate over which leader from the ruling coalition in the state could be considered.
The BJP is also understood to be considering offering nominated posts at the Centre to its allies from Andhra Pradesh. These issues may also figure in the chief minister’s discussions with central leaders.
Apart from Amit Shah, Naidu will also hold a series of meetings with Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
During these meetings, Chandrababu Naidu is expected to discuss allocation of funds for various projects, schemes, and programmes related to Andhra Pradesh.
He is also likely to raise several administrative matters concerning the state with the Union ministers.
Sources indicate that the Chief Minister is focusing on securing funds from certain central ministries before the end of the current financial year.
Proposals related to these allocations are expected to be discussed in detail during the visit.