As expected, YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will not be attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting at Velagapudi on Friday evening, where the relaunch of Amaravati capital works is scheduled.
According to party sources, Jagan quietly flew back to Bengaluru on Thursday evening, shortly after addressing a meeting of party workers. He is currently at his residence in Yelahanka and is expected to return only on Tuesday.
While it was unlikely that Jagan would attend an event organized by the Chandrababu Naidu-led government to revive Amaravati — a project he shelved during his five-year tenure — the Naidu administration still extended a formal invitation.
A senior official from the protocol department delivered a special invite, requesting his presence at the Prime Minister’s event.
Reportedly, some senior YSRCP leaders advised Jagan to stay back in Tadepalli, even if he didn’t attend the function, as his absence might send the wrong message to the BJP’s national leadership.
They suggested he could use the occasion to submit a representation to the Prime Minister highlighting concerns about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and the alleged political vendetta against YSRCP leaders under the current government.
Despite the advice, Jagan chose to stay away. He also instructed his party members to remain silent during Modi’s visit and instead focus on exposing alleged corruption in the Amaravati project — particularly the abnormal escalation in construction costs.
