In an apparent snub to Jana Sena Party president and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, senior officials of the Panchayat Raj Department allegedly diverted Central funds linked to the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme without his knowledge.
According to reports in a section of the media, the Deputy Chief Minister is reportedly upset over the handling of nearly Rs 1,700 crore sanctioned under the Centre’s flagship drinking water programme.
The reports claim that Pawan Kalyan came to know that several key administrative decisions in his department were being taken at the direction of a “young leader” without his knowledge, and that even Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had remained helpless.
While Pawan Kalyan has maintained restraint in public for the sake of coalition stability, he is said to be uncomfortable with certain governance decisions and the manner in which investment-related incentives are being extended in the state.
According to one report, the Jal Jeevan Mission project was taken up in a prestigious manner by Pawan Kalyan.
He personally visited New Delhi and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers to secure an extension for the scheme and facilitate the release of Rs 1,700 crore in Central assistance.
As part of the project, several works were nearing completion and pending bills of small contractors were supposed to be cleared so that they could accelerate works on the ground.
However, the funds were allegedly transferred almost entirely to a single major contractor in the Panchayat Raj Department, without the Deputy Chief Minister’s knowledge.
Recently, small contractors, claiming non-payment of dues, staged a protest outside the Jana Sena Party office in Mangalagiri.
Following this, Pawan Kalyan is said to have personally reviewed the matter and expressed strong displeasure over the alleged irregularities in departments under his watch.
According to the report, tensions within the coalition reportedly reached a level where a senior minister had to personally meet Pawan Kalyan and assure him that such incidents would not recur. The identity of the minister, however, was not disclosed.
Sources said Pawan Kalyan expressed serious displeasure during the internal meeting.
He reportedly told the minister that while he had exercised restraint to ensure the smooth functioning of the alliance government, he would not tolerate any insult to the “self-respect” of Jana Sena cadre.
“It was a sort of indirect warning to the TDP leadership that Jana Sena’s political importance within the coalition should not be underestimated,” sources said.
