After making a hue and cry over the alleged highhanded behaviour of the Election Commission for not allowing him to hold official meetings, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu finally held the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, after getting the official nod from the EC.
But what did Naidu achieve from the meeting, after all? The answer is nothing.
According to sources, it was more or less like a send-off meeting for Naidu and all the officials had a hearty talk with him during the two-hour long meeting.
Of course, the officials made routine presentations on issues like drinking water crisis in the state, drought conditions, employment generation programmes and impact of Fani cyclone.
And Naidu as usual gave routine instructions to ensure that people were not put to inconvenience.
He also used the opportunity to express his helplessness for not doing any work due to model code of conduct. Occasionally, he said: “good, good” and “good job. I appreciate you.”
Since there are no way Naidu could approve any financial releases, it was a routine official meeting, rather than a regular cabinet meeting where policy decisions are taken. There was not much discussion on any of the subject.
The highlight of the cabinet meeting was exchange of pleasantries between Naidu and Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam, who had not been getting along well with the former for quite some time.
Both of them were seen talking to each other and laughing heartily, as if they patched up their differences.
All the officials of the departments concerned and Naidu’s cabinet colleagues took part in the meeting.
The chief minister has thanked the officials for cooperating with him in the last five years and hoped that he would work together with them for another five years.