The absence of Megha Engineering’s Krishna Reddy during Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s first visit to Polavaram project on Monday went viral in the political circles. He is known for his proximity with former chief ministers YS Jaganmohan Reddy and K Chandrasekhar Rao of two Telugu states and most of the big contracts were assigned to him only by their respective governments.
Particularly, Jagan’s reverse tendering plea soon after taking charge as CM was said to be only intended to assign Polavaram contract to him only, by removing existing one. It may be recalled that Chandrababu expressed anger that this change of contractor damaged the project to great extent and now it makes it so complicate to complete the project.
It was normal practice for Megha Krishna Reddy to be present whenever a chief minister visits the site of a major project assigned to him and explain progress of the work. But, for the first time he was absent. People wonder whether he had hesitated to face Chief Minister Naidu or Chandrababu himself conveyed his displeasure to see him during his visit.
It may be recalled soon after taking oath when he visited Tirumala, the TTD Executive Officer Dharma Reddy, who was known to his proximity with Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP alleged several irregularities and large scale corruption under his regime, was asked to be sent on leave before his visit.
However, Megha sources indicate that Krishna Reddy was on a foreign tour, so he deputed his company director Subbaiah. But Chandrabau was seen as impatient towards him and blamed him for destroying the project during the last five years.
Earlier Chandrababu was seen as sober and hesitant to be harsh against adversaries. But this time after his re-election, TDP circles see a `changed leader’ in him.
He himself told party leaders just before poll results that they will see a completely changed person in him. “You may say I am saying the same words every time, but remaining soft towards adversies. But this time you will see what I am if impatient”, he said.
Soon after poll results when senior IAS and IPS officers, who created havoc in Jagan’s regime harassing TDP leaders and worked like YCP activists, tried to meet him to greet. But he did not allow them and they were sent back from the main gate of his residence.
Even at the Secretariat, he refused to give them appointments to meet in his chamber and at a former meeting with heads of departments also he did not respond to their boques and greetings. TDP sources wondered that he was never seen in such an adamant attitude.
