Two years of Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s governance in residual Andhra Pradesh which is grappling with post bifurcation blues, has apparently not gone too well with its people, particularly the young. For the first time in Naidu’s long drawn political career, he is facing lowest voter confidence as corruption, unemployment, policy paralysis have taken the centre stage. Reflecting the general mood of the beleaguered state, a recent survey by the New Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies (CMS) in its People’s Assessment Report, has said that the 2 years of the TDP rule have not galvanised people.
It is a fact that the state was given a raw deal in terms of revenue sharing as the big apple Hyderabad was left with Telangana forcing AP to deal with a big revenue deficit. But the people who voted for Naidu’s TDP were confident that the seasoned politician with his clout in ruling NDA could turn the table in the state’s favour. However, except 24 hour electricity scheme, partial loan waiver, and enhanced old age pensions, the government is seen as having failed to leave an impact on the people. None of the new schemes introduced by Naidu’s government have caught the imagination of the voters.
The government programmes launched amidst fanfare, have not yet adapted to future challenges and opportunities by taking to digitisation advantages, solar devices, water conservation practices or social plantation. None of these schemes has gained ground to catch up with ambitious way the chief minister has been talking about.
“Going by our findings, there is no indication that Chandrababu has consolidated his political prospects in the state commensurate to his frequent criss-crossing the districts,” notes N Bhaskara Rao, founder of CMS. The AP scene today is both confusing and contradictory, he said. The CMS field study was conducted in 10 districts during mid-March 2016 at two levels, first with opinion makers at district level who are not functionaries of any political party, and then selected voters who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.
“There is rampant corruption in the revenue department with the tacit support of TDP functionaries. Illegal sand mining by the TDP legislators and involvement in the day to day running of Assembly constituencies has tarnished Naidu’s so called hi-tech image,” observed Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Chief N Raghuveera Reddy commenting on results of the survey.
The report says that there is no indication of the government taking measures to cut down corruption. Chandrababu may have declared his assets regularly but his administration has not looked any differently than other corruption-ridden regimes or leaderships, it said. The Revenue Department continues to be viewed in particular as the most corrupt, followed by the police, as before. Even education and health services are mentioned in this regard. Looting of sand in sand reaches by the political leadership and beating up of a lady mandal revenue officer by a TDP MLA in public view had its negative impact on the people’s psyche.
The opposition YSR Congress towing the CMS line has said that the TDP government has failed to fulfill the “Bring back Babu and get a Job” promise made at the time of elections. “Youth has lost confidence in Naidu as none of the industries promised during the investors’ meeting in Vizag have opened, ” Ambati Rambabu, YSRC spokesperson, said. Anguish seems to be building up against increasing cost of even primary education and political leaders promoting “private schools.” They are run as businesses, at the cost of “public schools.” In fact, in rural Andhra, more than two-thirds of people feel so.
The consolation for Naidu is that a majority of the respondents in the CMS survey has felt that he is the best bet at this crucial juncture. “But only one-third view that there is no better alternative now to Chandrababu. His priorities and preoccupations, however, are not so much appreciated by half. A significant percentage of farmers continues to be restless or disappointed with the government policies. An equal number think that not everything the government is going about is being revealed to the public,” the report said.
Amaravati obsession
The chief minister’s obsession with the development of Amaravati the new state capital in Guntur district is also giving rise to unrest on regional lines. There are fears among a quarter of people of state getting into a cycle of agitations on regional and communal sentiments. Leaders from Rayalaseema region consisting of semi-arid Anantapur, Kurnool, Kadapa and Chittoor are trying to fan sentiments against Naidu’s Amaravati-centric development agenda.
“Naidu, who is a son of Rayalaseema, has done nothing for the region. He is a son in law of Coastal Andhra and is neglecting Rayalaseema. All the major projects are going to that region,” Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy of Rayalaseema Parirakshana Samithi (RPS) rued. He is demanding separate Greater Rayalaseema with the addition of Prakasam district, also a backward district from Coastal AP.
On the political front, the YSR Congress led by YS Jaganmohan Reddy has not gained much either, indicating of a vacuum in political scene of the reconstituted state. As compared to 2014, the voting intention in favour of the TDP has declined, marginally to significantly from one district to another. In other words, the opposition in the state has failed to capitalise on issues that the ruling TDP has bungled.
An interesting finding of this study is that a high per cent of Andhra people perceive that Telangana is doing better and its government performance is seen, in comparison, as more adoptive and inclusive. Like most regional parties, the TDP is centralised. None of the ministers in Naidus’ cabinet has found state-wide acceptance. The group of ministers looking after land pooling issues of Amaravati has only earned the ire of the farmers.
Published 19 April 2016, 18:39 IST