In a rare gesture, YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announced release of Rs 1 crore each to all the 175 MLAs in the state to take steps for mitigating drinking water scarcity in their respective constituencies.
“The money will be given from the Chief Minister’s Development Fund to all the MLAs, including the Telugu Desam Party MLAs. We look beyond party affiliations, as we are for development of the entire state,” Jagan said while making a statement in the assembly on the first day of the budget session.
Jagan said the MLAs should assess the situation in their respective constituencies and take measures to solve the drinking water crisis by whatever means they can – supply of water through tankers, drilling of bore wells or any other means, depending on the local conditions.
There was an all-round applause when the Jagan made the announcement and all the members appreciated his gesture.
However, TDP president and leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu refused to make any comment appreciating the chief minister.
He said he would appreciate Jagan for the gesture, provided the latter tendered an unconditional apology to Dalit TDP MLA from Kondepi D Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy who was allegedly insulted by the YSRC leaders at a government programme in his constituency.
There were allegations that YSRC workers had prevented Swamy from participating in the Farmers’ Day celebrations at Kondepi on July 8 and raised slogans against him.
Swamy sat in protest in front of the gate and said it was a shame on the part of the government for not allowing him as per the protocol.