Telugu Desam in an existential crisis

Desaraju Surya

Hyderabad: The Telugu Desam Party's citadel is crumbling. 

The party that ruled Andhra Pradesh for about 16 years is now facing the threat of "existential crisis" in the Telangana region, once considered its stronghold.

Reason: it's ambivalent stand on the separate statehood demand.

The TDP and its chief N Chandrababu Naidu's repeated assertions that "we are not against Telangana" have failed to win confidence of the people.

Results of by-elections to 18 Assembly constituencies -- that were fought solely on the Telangana plank -- in the region in 2010 and now, hold mirror to the fact that people had totally rejected the TDP as the principal opposition could not win a single seat.

In the 2009 elections, the TDP managed to win 39 out of the 119 Assembly seats in Telangana as part of the "Grand Alliance" with the TRS and the Left.

Subsequently, five MLAs quit the party of which four joined the TRS and won the by-elections. The other legislator -- Nagam Janardhana Reddy -- too emerged victorious as an Independent in the bypoll now.

That the party could not win deposit in at least 15 seats in all these by-elections depicts its pathetic position. 

There is no love lost for Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao among the people of the region but singularly targeting and branding him as the villain of Telangana did not help the TDP in any way, particularly in the current round of bypolls in six segments. 

The TDP leaders, who launched a separate Telangana Forum within the party, played every trick in their bag to showcase that they indeed were the real "warriors" for statehood but to no avail.

Chandrababu's "two eyes" theory on Telangana and Andhra-Rayalaseema too did not cut any ice with people here.

On the contrary, KCR succeeded in making people believe that it was only because of Chandrababu Naidu that the Centre went back on its announcement on creation of a separate state.

That, in a way, sealed the TDP's fate.

The TDP chief, however, is not ready to buy any arguments against his party. "Our situation improved considerably compared to the past (by-elections). We could convince people to some extent on our party's stand on Telangana," Chandrababu claimed, in reaction to the polls results.

The misery for TDP may not end with Telangana as it faces yet another formidable challenge in the by-elections to 18 Assembly and one Lok Sabha seat in Andhra-Rayalaseema in the next few months.

Like the TRS in Telangana, the fledgling YSR Congress of Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy could spell doom for the TDP, in the by-elections to begin with.

Chandrababu doesn't miss any chance to lament that he could not return to power in 2009 only because of the Praja Rajyam Party (which no more exists). 

He could now blame the TRS and later the YSRC for his continued political travails.

The 'Gali' effect on Jagan

Desaraju Surya

Hyderabad: The arrest of former minister of Karnataka Gali Janardhana Reddy by the CBI in the illegal mining case has started ringing alarm bells in the Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s camp as the former allegedly invested money in the latter’s businesses.

In his own words, late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was a “father figure” and Jagan “my younger brother” for Gali Janardhana Reddy who was a beneficiary of the former’s munificence in Andhra Pradesh.

Gali’s associate and a director in his Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) Ramachandra Reddy is an MLA from Anantapur district who resigned from the Assembly last month in support of Jagan.

His campers fear that the CBI’s probe into Gali’s illegal mining activity may also extend to Jagan as the duo had close business and family links.

Jagan is already under the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate scanner over his dubious business ventures.

The then YSR government virtually gifted over 10,000 acres of land in Kadapa district to Gali for setting up a steel plant named Brahmani. Another 3,000 acres was given to Gali for constructing an exclusive airport.

Not stopping at that, YSR himself wrote a letter to the Government of India to grant a loan of Rs 750 crore to Gali for setting up the steel plant and personally lobbied with the authorities concerned for securing the loan.

Besides, the YSR government gave a free run to Gali for carrying out iron ore mining in Anantapur district, bordering Karnataka, ostensibly for the proposed steel plant.

In turn, Gali invested huge money in RR Global and Red Gold business ventures owned by Jagan.

The steel plant never came up but Gali went ahead with iron ore mining for over two years without any hindrance and shipped the mineral illegally to foreign countries.

All opposition parties in the state waged a virtual war against this “brazen loot of nation’s mineral resources” but, as long as he was alive, YSR never did anything to stop the illegal mining.

The Central Empowered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court that probed the illegal mining in Anantapur district had strongly indicted the Andhra Pradesh government saying “their efforts have been to cover up the illegal mining being done by OMC in the un-allotted forest areas outside the approved mining leases.”

In a scathing criticism of the then YSR government, the CEC observed that “the objectivity, fairness and impartiality which is expected from a state government is shockingly lacking here and does not inspire confidence.”

It was only after YSR’s death that the then Rosaiah government finally cracked the whip on Gali’s illegal activities by suspending all mining activity in Anantapur district.

And now, the law has finally caught up with the mining mafia lord.

Kiran Kumar's brand-building exercise

Desaraju Surya

Hyderabad: Switch on any Telugu television channel or flip through pages of newspapers and you will find a smiling face of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy these days.

As you travel on any road in Hyderabad or other major towns in the state, huge hoardings with the Chief Minister’s picture greet you.

All this is part of an “image-building” exercise that Kiran launched in recent days. The State Information and Public Relations Department has initiated an aggressive audio-visual advertisement campaign to trumpet the government programmes and simultaneously prop-up the Chief Minister.

Ever since he came to occupy the Chief Minister’s chair in November last rather unwittingly, Kiran never had an easy going. Troubles plagued him from the day he constituted his Council of Ministers and thereafter he faced more brickbats than bouquets.

He was always seen as a “loner” who could not carry people along and a novice in administrative affairs. Besides, he was a “poor communicator” who could neither speak nor read his mother tongue Telugu properly.

This became a biggest handicap for Kiran and provided a tool for others to lampoon him as he failed to “connect” with the people.

Close to seven months in office now, there is no change yet in Kiran’s fortunes. Administration in the state – as opposition parties allege and some of the ministers themselves admit – is in disarray for a variety of reasons. The Chief Minister could not buy peace with his Cabinet colleagues or Congress leaders while the “high command” that promised to take care of his troubles now apparently remains indifferent.

The burden fell on Kiran himself to work out a way to overcome all the hiccups and thus the image-building effort.

“Since conversing in Telugu has been a major problem, the Chief Minister primarily focused his energies on honing his language skills in the last couple of months. Now there is a marked improvement in the way he addresses a public meeting,” a close aide of Kiran said.

Last week, Kiran surprised everyone by addressing villagers at Vaddepally in Medak district for 40 minutes. This was first time ever that the Chief Minister addressed a public meeting for that length of time. And, he spoke with clarity which hitherto was lacking in his speeches.

Though he doesn’t have a coterie as such, Kiran Kumar consults two senior journalists almost on a daily basis for inputs and feedback on public reaction to his speeches as well as the government programmes.

Kiran Kumar has also been holding regular meetings with the Congress cadres in different districts these days. The one point he is trying to drive home through such meetings is to “stay committed” to the party and get rewarded.

“I am a shining example. I have been a committed Congress worker for over 25 years now and a four-term MLA. I never hankered for posts. I wanted to be a minister at best but I was rewarded with the Chief Minister’s post,” Kiran has been telling the party rank and file.

Since he is facing opposition within the party following his elevation, Kiran is trying to project that it is the Congress high command that brought him in. By this, he is seeking to silence his detractors by invoking the high command.

But Kiran’s aides see this also as a part of the image-building process. He is clearly sending out a message to those who are questioning his leadership credentials.

ANDHRA PRADESH: Awaiting the Congress' call

Desaraju Surya

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh is desperately waiting for Congress’ call – on the vexatious state bifurcation issue.

For years, the Congress has dodged the issue fearing a political backlash but its indecisiveness on either creating a Telangana state or keeping Andhra Pradesh united has only been aggravating the unrest among people of the two regions.

To say that the entire state has been pushed into turmoil – on all fronts – particularly since December 2009 on account of the Congress’ dithering stand will only be an understatement.

The distress caused to ordinary people, the beating that the state’s image had taken notably on the investment front, the internal rift that the main political parties of the state were left with and the enormous loss caused to the state exchequer on account of the strife are now part of history.

But, history threatens to repeat if the Congress drags its feet.

The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre has bought time, from the aggressive statehood proponents, till completion of elections to five state assemblies even as close to five months elapsed since the five-member Justice Srikrishna Committee submitted its recommendations on the contentious subject.

Now that elections are over, the separatists are ready to up the ante once again and go all out in their quest for the state of Telangana that so far remained elusive for them.

Not only the separatists but also the integrationists are seeking an immediate solution to the crisis.

“From June 1, we will put Telangana on the boil and even take our struggle to the international level,” declared the separatist leader K Chandrasekhar Rao, whose Telangana Rashtra Samiti has been in the forefront of the statehood struggle.

“It is time for the Government of India to take a clear decision in favour of Telangana. Else, we will go to any extent to realize our aspirations,” regional leaders of the ruling Congress warned.

Having suffered a severe setback in which was once its stronghold, Telugu Desam Party too is gearing up for an open fight this time and has announced its first step of agitation programme in the form of a three-day paada yatra (foot march) beginning May 23.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is keen on re-establishing its base in the region by taking a lead in the statehood struggle, is also organizing a massive rally in Karimnagar on May 31 to galvanize public support for the cause.

Government employees, on the other hand, have threatened to stop work once again if the Central government continued to dilly-dally on Telangana.

There are other groups in the region, particularly the student community, that have been taking an active part in the statehood agitations along with the political parties, often resorting to violence.

Worried are the common people whose lives will be largely affected if the separatists once again unleash strife to meet their objective.

On the other side, the Andhra-Rayalaseema regions remained relatively peaceful despite the state bifurcation demand reaching a feverish pitch in Telangana. Though for a brief period in early 2010 protests erupted in Andhra-Rayalaseema regions with the demand that the state not be split, peace prevailed after the Justice Srikrishna Committee was constituted.

The state fears, as it was mentioned in the Committee’s report as well, that trouble may erupt in any particular region if the Centre’s decision went against it.

“That is inevitable. But the Centre cannot hold its decision on this pretext. It should take an immediate decision either way and settle the issue once and for all,” a group of ministers firmly told Union Minister and AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad when he interacted with them here yesterday. It was a unanimous appeal made by ministers from Telangana as well as Andhra-Rayalaseema regions.

The MPs, MLAs and MLCs from the respective regions, however, spoke for and against the bifurcation – the stands they had taken for long.

Ironically, even when things have come to such a pass, Azad sought to weigh the political fallout for the Congress if the Telangana statehood demand is conceded or not. “Can you people assure Congress’ victory in the next elections if Telangana is granted,” he reportedly questioned party leaders from the region at his meeting.

Only one so-called ‘veteran’ leader rose to say: “I will.”

Interestingly, Azad reportedly did not seek any such assurance from Andhra-Rayalaseema leaders.

Whatever be the implications for the Congress, people of Andhra Pradesh are only looking for a solution that will ensure lasting peace and progress.

Much bravado about nothing

Desaraju Surya

Hyderabad: Having realised that his resounding victory in the Kadapa Lok Sabha by-election is absolutely not good enough to cause any threat to the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh anytime in the near future, a jittery YSR Congress Party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is forced to re-work his strategies.
Now, Jagan's focus will be to "consolidate" his base not just in his native Kadapa but in other parts of the state as well.
Sources close to him say the upcoming elections to urban local bodies and panchayat raj institutions could serve as the real testing ground for Jagan's strength and establish his mass base.
All his tall talk and bravado notwithstanding, Jagan realised that he doesn’t command the strength to cause any threat to the government either immediately or in the near future.
As things stand, Jagan has the open backing of only about 15 MLAs in the 294-member AP Assembly, a number too short to make any dent to the government.
Buoyed by his victory in the Kadapa Lok Sabha by-election by a record margin of over 5.45 lakh votes, Jagan initially announced that the Kiran Kumar Reddy government would “fall” within six months.
Subsequently, he changed his tone and said dislodging the government might not be possible as the principal opposition Telugu Desam Party became “an alliance partner” of the ruling Congress.
One who always spoke of over-throwing the government “at the opportune time”, Jagan now changed tack and rather dared the Congress to go for snap polls and seek a fresh mandate.
"Let him first come out with the exact number of MLAs supporting him and then talk of snap polls or anything else," state Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana remarked, rebuking Jagan.
Given its own predicaments, the TDP too is not ready to take the Jagan bait and move a no-confidence motion against the Congress government.
"We have an ideology and a strategy of our own. We will not act according to someone else's wishes," TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu asserted.
"If Jagan is so confident about his strength, why doesn't he make the MLAs supporting him to resign and seek a mandate. That will make things clear," TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said.
Though about 15 MLAs, including two TDP rebels and one PRP rebel, are apparently behind him, some of the Congress legislators are making moves to stay back in their parent party rather than sail with Jagan fearing disqualification.
For the time being, the Congress initiated disqualification proceedings against only four MLAs of whom two have reportedly affirmed that they would indeed stay in the ruling party only.
Even among those sailing with Jagan, not all MLAs are said to be happy given his "undemocratic" style of functioning. A Congress and a PRP MLA already walked out of the Jagan camp protesting his "dictatorial" attitude.
"As MLAs loyal to him we couldn't manage an appointment with Jagan and had to wait for two or three days for an audience. That style of functioning will only be detrimental for Jagan," an MLA who walked out of the camp said.
Besides, Jagan's ploy of encouraging the "emerging leaders" even in constituencies where his loyalists are sitting MLAs is also not going down well with the latter.
These are some reasons why the so-called fence-sitters are showing no urgency to jump onto the Jagan bandwagon despite his massive win in the by-poll.
In such a scenario, Jagan cannot go ahead immediately with his plan to dislodge the Kiran Kumar Reddy government, sources close to him aver.
The MP-elect may make his further moves only if the YSR Congress Party succeeds in elections to the local bodies whenever they are held.
Till then, Kiran Kumar and Co. can breathe easy.