YCP’s most confusing minister Botsa Satyanarayana has given full clarity on one issue that is burning in Andhra Pradesh as of now. He has clearly clarified that ‘work from home’ is a concept that is meant for the IT industry. Only software professionals would be able to ‘work from home’ but not others. It is all the more difficult and impossible for the Government employees as they have to make themselves available in the field level.

Botsa’s clarification has come amidst the rising chorus from the employees’ associations from all over the State for giving them ‘work from home’ facility. Over 8 employees have died after getting infected with Covid at the State Secretariat in Amaravati Capital City. Several employees of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) have also succumbed. Hundreds of employees in different wings of the Government fell ill with the infections.

The Opposition leaders including Chandrababu Naidu have joined chorus demanding ‘work from home’ for the Government employees. Botsa asked Naidu not to confuse the employees with illogical arguments. The Minister told the IT-savvy former Chief Minister that what is possible in the IT industry would not be possible in the Government sector. The Government employees would have to be accessible to the people to provide various services.

Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana has announced grand plans of their Government in the house sites distribution to the poor families. On Christmas day, the Chief Minister would formally launch distribution of over 30 lakh free house sites. At the same time, foundation stones will be laid for over 15 lakh houses.

Botsa Satyanarayan said that in all, their Government was bent on distributing over Rs. 23,538 Cr worth house sites. This has been a prestigious programme for the ruling YCP ahead of the local body elections. The Government is planning to go ahead with the elections whenever they are held. As of now, the High Court has left the decision to the State Election Commission but there is a chance that the YCP regime would again contest this in the Supreme Court.

As such, the local polls can be held only after SEC Ramesh Kumar retires in March. This is exactly what the YCP has been planning for.

Botsa Satyanarayana says that the housing programmes are also prestigious for them. Over 15 lakh houses would be built immediately. A house of 300 sft would be given to the beneficiaries at just Re. 1. Those poor families having their own sites would be given houses at Rs. 1.8 lakh. This massive housing programme would create nearly 17,000 townships in both rural and urban areas in the State in the coming months.

YCP’s crisis manager and Minister Botsa Satyanarayana has come up with his typical allegations against the TDP once again. He says that Chandrababu Naidu is following the BJP agenda. It is only because of this, the TDP is trying to obstruct the YSRCP Government’s efforts to make Visakhapatnam the Executive Capital of AP. In the name of attacks on temples, the TDP boss is trying to create hurdles for the Government but that will not stop capital shifting.

The Jagan Reddy regime has been facing lots of allegations for ‘not taking’ action against the culprits in the attacks on temples and also burning of sacred chariots. This has become an advantage for the YSRCP Ministers to convert this crisis into an opportunity. Instead of responding to the challenges of TDP on temple incidents, the Ministers were now saying that by raising the issues of temples, the TDP is simply following the BJP agenda in the State.

Only a few days ago, YCP MP Vijayasai Reddy praised the Modi Government to the skies in the Rajya Sabha. The YCP MPs gave their wholehearted support to the BJP’s two farmers Bills in the Parliament. This was also at a time when even friendly parties of BJP like Akali Dal were opposing the same.

Everybody knows that both YCP and TDP were following the BJP agenda at the national level. Neither party is in a moral standing to accuse the other of being hand in glove with the ‘communal’ BJP.

Minister Botsa Satyanarayana appealed to the agitating farmers of Amaravati not to remain in the trap of Chandrababu Naidu. He said that Naidu and TDP leaders grabbed the fertile lands of Capital City farmers in the name of land pooling and false promises of global city development. The Minister asked why Naidu failed to construct permanent capital in five long years. Why is Naidu now provoking farmers to demand Secretariat in Amaravati. Naidu himself is saying that the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and IT companies brought in massive development in Hyderabad. Unfortunately, Naidu is visiting protesting farmers and shedding crocodile tears. Naidu pushed AP into Rs 1.90 lakh cr debts but he spent only Rs 5,000 Cr on Amaravati which shows his lack of commitment to Capital City.

Botsa told farmers that the lands would be developed and returnable plots would be given to them. He asserted that their government is not here to protect one particular caste or one particular religion. It would work for the all round development of all regions. The Minister dismissed Amaravati farmers’ agitation as very insignificant. The farmers should at least now realise their mistake and stop their protests. Botsa accused the media of over highlighting the protests in Capital City limits. He assured farmers to develop Amaravati as an educational hub.

In just one day, Confusion Minister Botsa Satyanarayana changed his statement on AP Capital status. He told Legislative Council yesterday that their government is not changing Capital. But today, the Minister announced in Vizag that there is no clarity yet on the status of Amaravati. Any clarity would come only after the GN Rao Experts Committee submits its report to the government. Interestingly, everytime Botsa speaks with clarity, it is sure to create more and more confusion on the Capital issue.

Botsa’s comments left political circles wondering whether CM Jaganmohan Reddy is still adamant to shift Capital City to another location. Everybody knows that Jagan is committed to demolishing Amaravati city and erase Chandrababu Naidu memory forever. Analysts say that none of the YCP Ministers can be trusted on their statements. We have seen how Kodali Nani has spoken utter lies on the promise of supplying super fine ‘sannalu’ variety rice to the ration card holders in the state. Botsa is no different. It’s not clear whether Jagan Reddy shifts Capital or he would just use present buildings in Amaravati without completing or constructing any structure there.

Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Minister Botsa Satyanarayana on Tuesday appeared in a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court as a witness in the 14-year-old Volkswagen case.

The Minister for Urban Development appeared in response to the summons issued last month.

Satyanarayana is expected to record his statement as the 60th witness in the case.

He was the Industry Minister in the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy government in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 2005 when the scandal had surfaced.

The state government had allegedly paid Rs 11.67 crore to Vashishta Wahan Pvt Ltd floated for setting up a Volkswagen manufacturing unit at Visakhapatnam.

Vashishta Wahan, however, turned out to be a fictitious entity.

The scam came to light in 2005 when Volkswagen sacked its then head of Indian operations Helmut Schuster on charges of corruption in some other dealings. Schuster was negotiating on behalf of Volkswagen with the Andhra government for setting up the car plant.

Following allegations by the opposition that Satyanarayana and some others had paid the money to Vashistha Wahan through “dubious” means, the state government ordered the probe by the CBI.

The CBI in 2010 filed a chargesheet against six accused including Schuster. They were charged with criminal conspiracy and cheating. However, Satyanarayana was included as a witness in the case.

The other accused include businessman Jagdish Alaga Raja and his sister Gayatri Chandravadanan, Ashok Kumar Jain, Bhuwan Kumar Chaturvedi and Joseph V. George. They allegedly colluded with Schuster in floating Vashishta Wahan.

In 2015, the Enforcement Directorate had also filed a chargesheet in the case.