Hyderabad, May 15: After nine months in an office which came to him in the most unexpected manner, Chief Minister Konijeti Rosaiah is beginning to tighten his grip, slowly but surely.
The first sign of stamping his mark on the government could be evident sometime during June- July when he is expected to revamp the Cabinet, weeding out some ministers and inducting fresh faces with whom he would be more comfortable.
Despite his age, 77, he has started touring the districts and is working late nights to clear official business. Without saying it in as many words, he is also making it known to ministers that it is time they got down to business rather than play existence politics by reasserting their past loyalties even on unwanted occasions. ‘‘I have information that you have not participated in even one Praja Patham programme. Is it true?’’ he asked one minister on the telephone with just a mild hint of sarcasm. The minister stuttered some explanation that the information fed to the chief minister was not accurate. But the message went home.
Not known for any liking for pomp or media-savvy qualities — but one who has a sound knowledge of governance — Rosaiah’s biggest challenge is to steer the state out of the financial crisis, caused by the global recession and the consequent drop in revenues coupled with the drain of funds for numerous welfare schemes launched in the past.
He is facing criticism from MP Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of his former boss, for watering down his father, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy’s schemes. On the other hand, there are considerable leakages in almost all the schemes.
‘‘Corrective measures are certainly required but it will be a collective decision by the Cabinet.
But no scheme will be scrapped,’’ the chief minister said in an exclusive interview to Express.
If Rajasekhara Reddy had to face a hostile vernacular media (he even went to the extent of advising people not to read a couple of the leading newspapers), Rosaiah has been having trouble from one newspaper which belongs to Rajasekhara Reddy’s family and Rosaiah has made no secret of his displeasure over it. ‘‘But I am not interested in picking up a row with that paper or TV channel,’’ he remarked.
Throughout his long career, Rosaiah was never required to play the role of a political strategist, limited as he was to being an able finance man to whoever was the chief minister. But he seems to be up to it if required. Incidentally or otherwise, KVP Ramachandra Rao, who was the eyes and ears of YSR, continues to play that role for Rosaiah too.
–Agencies