For a third time within one month, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is leaving for New Delhi on Friday, triggering speculations in the political circles.
Though Naidu is primarily going to the national capital to attend the NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday, the way he is going a day ahead has raised a lot of curiosity.
According to the party sources, it is essentially to meet top leaders of the Centre and thanking them for announcing a special package for Andhra in the Union budget.
Sources said Naidu might meet Union home minister Amit Shah, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman and Union Jal Sakthi minister C R Patil to apprise them of the need to release funds urgently under various heads as announced in the budget to meet the urgent requirements of the state.
Naidu is expected to brief Nirmala about the progress of Amaravati capital works and request her to expedite the process of securing the World Bank loan.
At the same time, he would also explain to Union Jal Sakthi minister the status of Polavaram project and seek the release of the budgeted amount.
There is another talk in the political circles about Naidu’s Delhi visit.
The dharna staged by YSR Congress party president and former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday generated a lot of talk in the national capital.
“Apparently, Shah asked Naidu what was happening in the state and whether there was any truth in the allegations made by Jagan in the national media. That is why Naidu is going to meet Shah personally and put the records straight before him,” a source said.
