The first round of Indiramma Baata, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s attempt to take administration to the people’s door-steps, held for three days in East Godavari district evoked a mixed response. While the CM took the first concrete step towards a better administration through this ‘mass contact programme’, a lack of proactive role by the CMO is seen to have widened his rift with Cabinet ministers. While some ministers participated in the programme as uninvited guests, others who were supposed to be party to it in their respective districts were not properly briefed, sources said.
According to sources, the CM’s move to indulge Kakinada Urban MLA D. Chandrasekhar Reddy, despite his overtures to the Jagan camp, also did not go down well with many Congress leaders. They said differences between the CM and PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana could be felt in this case as well. While Mr Satyanarayana made his displeasure with the fence-sitting MLA known, the CM tossed it away, sources said. “We don't understand what message the CM was trying to send across by taking Chandrasekhar Reddy in his car throughout his Kakinada trip,” a party MLA said, adding that Mr Reddy indirectly allowed the MLA to exploit both the ruling party and YSRC.
Apparently unhappy over the incident, the PCC chief talked tough against “fence-sitters” in a meeting of party workers, in which Mr Chandrasekhar Reddy was present. “The CMO should have coordinated with them, rather than ministers seeking permission to attend the programme,” one minister said, on condition of anonymity.