The Congress' USP in AP

Desaraju Surya

Hyderabad: If one main factor has to be singled out for the Congress’ comfortable victory in Andhra Pradesh, it is undoubtedly the individual benefit schemes implemented by the government in the last few years.

They have spelt success for the Congress and helped it retain power.

“The four crore beneficiaries of our individual benefit schemes are our ‘star’ campaigners,” Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy used to say constantly while referring to the film stars who campaigned for other parties.

Indeed, the beneficiaries have not belied either Rajasekhara Reddy’s or Congress’ hopes and gave their thumbs up.

Though the Telangana factor threatened to wreck the Congress boat, the individual benefit schemes seemed to have turned the tide.

Many Congress heavyweights like PCC president D Srinivas, Assembly Speaker K R Suresh Reddy and several ministers may lost the election but Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had the last laugh with the Congress comfortably crossing the magic mark of 148 seats. The Congress may ultimately end up with 155 seats out of 294.

The Rajasekhara Reddy government focused primarily on the ambitious Jalayagnam programme (irrigation projects) in the first two years from 2004 but slowly it turned its attention to schemes that benefited individuals – the target group of customary voters.

Thus, every household derived not just one but many benefits as per the head count. Be it a white ration card that ensured supply of rice at Rs 2-a-kg, Arogya Sri health insurance that gave a Rs 2 lakh cover for treatment of major ailments, permanent housing, loans to women self-help group members at 25-paise interest, reimbursement of fee for higher and professional education… the schemes covered and benefited one and all.

Besides, pensions for various sections like old-aged, physically-challenged and artisans too have left those sections content.

Though the Telugu Desam Party promised to introduce a Cash-Transfer-Scheme, under which each eligible family was promised sums ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 2000 a month, people apparently did not take it seriously.

“When we are already getting many benefits, why should we bother about something that we are not sure about,” was the common refrain of people all through.

In the ultimate analysis, people voted for continuity rather than ambiguity and this became Congress’ USP.