For the first time after quitting the Congress party, Kadapa MP Jagan Mohan Reddy called on the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here on Thursday. The meeting gains significance in view of the disproportionate assets case filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
According to sources, Jagan complained to the Prime Minister that the CBI was being misused by the Congress party to take political revenge meeting. He appealed to Dr Singh to use his offices to stop misuse of probing agency against the opposition party leaders. He alleged that the State Government was harassing his family members in the name of CBI raids on his businesses and properties.
However, Jagan tried to downplay the meeting which lasted for about 15 minutes and gave an impression that it was all about the problems being faced the farmers in the State. He also submitted a two page memorandum to the Prime minister stating that farmers in Konaseema region were forced to declare ‘crop holiday’ as they were unable to get remunerative prices for their produce.
Stating that the farmers were facing huge shortage of fertilizers and seeds, Jagan appealed to Dr Singh to take concrete measures for redressing the farmers’ problems in the state. He asked the Prime Minister to set up a Market Intervention Fund for farmers with an investment of Rs 3,000 crore to provide remunerative prices for farm produce during critical times.
Jagan also brought to notice of the Prime Minister that the input subsidy announced by the State Government was yet to reach the hapless farmers. He urged Dr Singh to accord national project status to Polavaram and Pranahita-Chevella irrigation projects.
Earlier, Jagan also tried in vain to meet the opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj. Sources say that Sushma was unable to meet him due to busy scheduled in view of the Parliament session and Wednesday’s bomb blast in New Delhi.