People of AP Will Turn Against Modi, Chandrababu

Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

Chandrababu Naidu has called upon the people of the state to revolt against PM Modi. People will turn and Chandrababu Naidu and dislodge him soon, according to BJP leader in AP, Somu Veeraraju. One must say that both these statements have a clear ring of truth. Chandrababu Naidu is now up in arms against Modi after it dawned on him that the movement for special category status to AP had got intensified and gained great momentum.

However, Chandrababu's criticism appears tempered with fear. It is evident that his self-confidence and bravado have their roots in fear. It is true that PM Modi has gone back on his word on SCS to the state. Back then, Venkaiah Naidu had bragged that it was on account of his efforts that the BJP had promised SCS to the state for a period of ten years as stated in its manifesto. People of the state also thought so. Venkaiah Naidu and his friend, Chandrababu Naidu changed their stance subsequently. In the case of the latter, he switched tack any number of times.

Leader of Opposition in AP assembly and YSRCP chief, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, remained steadfast and consistent in his approach. YS Jagan has not merely demanded SCS, but has also conducted protests for it all along. What did Chandrababu Naidu do at that time? He clamped down on the protests and demonstrations. The Left parties, Congress and committee to achieve SCS (hoda saadhana samithi) also took part in the struggle for SCS to some extent.

Some assurances given in the Reorganisation Act could have been addressed. For instance, the idea of getting the Polavaram project completed, routing it through NABARD, was in principle, a good one. However, Modi erred in giving the project to the state, instead of getting the Centre to take it up. Similarly, the steel plant in YSR District and Vizag railway zone are among objectives which could have been met.

People's anger against Modi across AP is righteous on many counts. However, Chandrababu is now desperately trying to tap into this seething public fury. He is attempting to paint himself as one of the earliest champions of the SCS cause. YS Jagan said quite aptly that Chandrababu could be given an Oscar for his performance.

Why should people revolt against Chandrababu? Somu Veeraraju has been answering this question well. Veeraraju has been saying that people will turn against Chandrababu for the corruption with which the state is now synonymous. Similarly, he said that people will revolt against Chandrababu for not fulfilling even ten per cent of the election promises in the manifesto. Chandrababu has been facing a lot of criticism with regard to the countless promises he made at the time of elections. He has had to repeat lies Goebbelsian style, to cover up one lie. The late Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy once said of Chandrababu Naidu in the state assembly that he could repeat lies ad nauseam without batting an eyelid.

There are many reasons for self-respecting Andhras to revolt against Chandrababu--for the Polavaram mess, the many scandals surrounding the new capital, for the deaths of 29 pilgrims in the Pushkarams stampede, for 'buying' 22 YSRCP MLAs spending crores of rupees, among other factors. In a sense therefore, both Chandrababu and Veeraraju are both speaking the truth. The people of Andhra Pradesh must revolt against Chandrababu Naidu and Narendra Modi and the day is not far off when we will see that happening.