Telugu media is full of reports pertaining to the arrest of a former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh 24 days ago. The news eclipsed any other news, including that of the prestigious Group-20 summit.
The news mainly highlighted the arrest episodes, the CB-CID activity and two major parties in AP heaping criticism on each other, court trial and protest rallies. At the time of the arrest, the G-20 summit was underway in Delhi, but it received no priority in Telugu news.
It appears as though CM Jaganmohan Reddy carefully moved the pawns on political chess-board so that people of the State ignored atrocities, problems of the farmers, common man and the poor, corruption that reached its crescendo, deteriorating law and order situation, haphazard economy and growing unrest among the people in AP.
The arrest and subsequent developments are likely to continue till the next elections. Elected people’s representatives are blaming each other as criminals forgetting their accountability to people. Under this context, how can solving the people’s problems get priority?
Hitherto, the people are of the view that Jaganmohan Reddy indulged in economic offences and spent 16 months in jail. But, he became the CM while being out on bail.
It is clear that Jagan is of the view that the arrest provides him an opportunity to unleash the propaganda against the former CM accusing him of committing crimes and serving time in jail like him. In case the former CM is out on bail, the YCP leaders would have a point to score against the former CM.
A leader who committed various corrupt practices during his father’s regime is now out to level allegations against his political rival like Abrus precatorious (scientific name of gurivinda ginja) as his followers are sure to play the second fiddle.
Arrest of the former CM when polls are just five months away strongly indicates more of the political conspiracy and political vindictive attitude by Jaganmohan Reddy than the actual crime committed.
It would not take much time for Jagan to get at the irregularities committed by his predecessor during 4.5 year rule of this present incumbent. The Jagan regime wasted time and alleged that there was scam in skill Development Corporation as though it made a great discovery. More than the scam, the fanfare to brand the political rival as corrupt was more, if the CB-CID activity and remand report was any indication.
In fact, when there is evidence of corruption indulged in by a former CM, the proper system should be followed to serve notices on him and it should be confirmed that the former CM committed the crime. Then only, action should be taken against him with the permission of court. Then nobody would have any objection to taking action against him. The objective of Jagan government was to arrest his political rival and lodge him behind the bars and give wide publicity to it to deflect public attention from his own irregularities.
During the past four-and-a-half years, the Jagan Government in AP failed on all fronts. Its failure is strikingly visible in irrigation sector, providing drinking water supply and jobs to the unemployed, electricity sector, and implementation of welfare and development schemes, in establishing industries and failure to allocate funds for execution of irrigation projects in drought-prone Rayalaseema region.
In all, 40 irrigation projects have been kept pending under YSRCP regime. The project cost has escalated and almost doubled due to delay in execution. The Polavaram project came to a grinding halt due to omissions and commissions of Jagan Govt. The YSRCP has no wisdom to make good use of 69 rivers that flow across the State. Jagan, who sabotaged the interests of his Rayalaseema region, indulged in corruption amounting to thousands of crores in the name of excavation of parallel canals. The locals are observing this.
Seeds were not sown in at least 31 lakh acres in AP. Many regions in the State are reeling under power cuts. A situation had arisen under which power holiday is declared for industries.
Lakhs of unemployed are waiting for government jobs. But, the government is hoodwinking them on the pretext of implementation of job calendar. The crime rate is on the rise in the state.
The state capital was not in sight even after four-and-a-half years. On one hand Jagan promised to implement total prohibition and on the other, he is encouraging illegal liquor brands thereby affecting the health of the people.
As Jagan sensed that the people are seething with discontent over his administration of the State, he is caught in a tricky situation.
Otherwise, where is the need to move a Bill in State legislative Assembly to provide SPG cover to the CM, who rarely goes into public, and to his family members including his children pursuing education overseas?
He should have known better from where the threat perception is as his mentality is that of a criminal. When the State is failing in all sectors of activity, to cover up for his failures, Jagan hatched a plan to politics move around corruption, jails, bails and so on. But, the people are not as innocent as he thought them to be.
