In a sudden development, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre on Friday appointed a Gujarat-based IPS officer as joint director of CBI. The move assumes significance in the backdrop of CBI adopting a tough stand against AP Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy in disproportionate case, quid pro quo cases booked against Jagan by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.

The union home ministry issued orders appointing Manoj Shashidhar, a 1994-batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre as new JD of CBI.

Interestingly, YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy had last week written to union home minister Amit Shah to appoint someone as CBI JD who is from non–Telugu State cadre alleging that the past CBI JD Laxminarayana and other JDs appointed later have ‘secret friendship’ with TDP and they tried to fix Jagan in CBI cases on ‘political grounds’.

Amit Shah responded positively to Vijaysai’s request and directed officials to appoint a new JD from non-Telugu states cadre.

However, the appointment of Manoj Shashidhar, a Gujarat based IPS officer raised many a eyebrows.

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah hail from Gujarat, Manoj Shashidhar has close links with both of them. He worked under Modi and Shah, when they were ruling Gujarat.

YSRCP leaders now fear that Manoj Shashidhar will do whatever ordered by Modi and Amit Shah.

At a time when CBI is acting tough against Jagan now, they fear that Shashidhar will only fix Jagan further in CBI cases and send him to jail again.