CM Jagan using civil services as his pocket services: Venkanna

Telugu Desam Party MLC Buddha Venkanna has flayed the YCP Government for frequently ‘changing and removing’ IAS officers and senior civil servants at the whims and fancies of the ruling party leaders and in utter disregard for the constitution. It was unconstitutional on the part of Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy to use the All-India civil services as his pocket services by denying them their constitutional roles while the CM’s advisors were acting as extra-constitutional authorities with limitless powers.

The TDP MLC said senior civil servants like LV Subrahmanyam, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, PV Ramesh and Jasthi Krishna Kishore faced unforeseen harassment and victimisation. The CM was not conscious of the fact that the IAS officers were appointed at the national level and that they were bound to act by the Constitution. Only out of ignorance, Jagan Reddy has appointed over 33 Advisors to run an extra-constitutional government without involving civil servants, Ministers or departmental heads in the decision-making process.

Mr. Venkanna scoffed at the CM’s unheard-of policies, saying that it was because of Jagan Reddy’s reluctance to follow the advice of IAS officers that his Government’s decisions suffered strictures from the courts for over 60 times. The CM was not changing even after these setbacks in the courts and he was continuing to undermine IAS officers while taking decisions in violation of the Constitution of India.

Stating that Jagan Reddy was acting like a dictator, Mr. Venkanna said that YCP MP Vijayasai Reddy was becoming another extra-constitutional force by interfering with all aspects of administration. In fact, Vijayasai was himself acting like a Chief Minister for North Coastal Andhra’s three districts while Jagan Reddy is CM for the remaining 10 districts. Vijayasai was threatening to eliminate the TDP but he should realise that power would not stay with anybody forever.

The TDP MLC slammed the CM for not leaving his Tadepalli residence at least 13 times in the past 13 months in order to go to the people and solve their problems. Jagan Reddy did not care to travel one kilometre from Tadepalli to PWD Grounds in Vijayawada to personally lay the foundation stone for the Ambedkar statue.