Chinta Mohan Slams Naidu, Jagan Over Modi Loyalty

Former Union Minister Chinta Mohan on Saturday alleged that both Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy continue to remain loyal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though for different reasons.

Speaking to the media, he claimed Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was unable to question the Prime Minister as he needed protection in cases, while Mr. Naidu, he said, maintained cordial relations with the Centre to secure funds for Andhra Pradesh. He criticised both leaders, alleging that neither had delivered development for the State.

Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister, Mr. Chinta Mohan demanded that Mr. Naidu disclose the sources of his income and declare his total assets, describing him as one of the richest Chief Ministers in the country.

He also objected to the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the rural employment scheme, calling it inappropriate. He urged the Union government to bear the entire cost of the programme and alleged that the Centre was attempting to weaken it by renaming it as ‘Viksit Bharat-G RAM G Act’ and making larger States shoulder 40% of the financial burden.

On the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) issue, he recalled his earlier demand that the Centre stop privatisation and said the TDP should withdraw from the NDA if it failed to do so. He pointed out that the Union Cabinet had not made any announcement on halting privatisation and that the TDP continued to remain in the NDA.

Stating that only the Congress could save the steel plant, Mr. Chinta Mohan said the party would protect it from the crisis it was facing.