Pawan Kalyan: Wise After The Event

Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

It now appears that all parties in Andhra Pradesh are following the line taken up by Leader of Opposition in AP legislative assembly and YSR Congress party president, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on the matter of reservations to the Kapu community. Actor turned politician and Jana Sena founder, Pawan Kalyan's recent statement in Achanta in West Godavari, is a reflection of this fact.

During the course of his speech, Pawan Kalyan tried to do a tightrope walk on the issue, without alienating either the BCs or members of the Kapu community. He accused Chandrababu Naidu of creating a rift between communities and asked him to refrain from doing so in the future. Pawan Kalyan is said to have broached the issue of reservation to Kapus with Chandrababu in the run-up to the 2014 elections. The actor-turned-politician is supposed to have asked as to how this was possible.

Chandrababu Naidu, in his characteristic manner, told him that it was very much possible. It took four years for Pawan Kalyan to remember this. This is precisely why other parties accuse the BJP and Jana Sena of having betrayed the people of the state along with the TDP and say that they are equally responsible for the state of affairs in AP. After all, they had campaigned and fought the 2014 election together.

Also Read:TDP MLAs In Rs 1000 Crore Corruption: Pawan Kalyan

Does this mean that it did not matter to Pawan Kalyan how Chandrababu made it to power? It also implies that Pawan Kalyan backed Chandrababu Naidu fully aware that the TDP chief would not deliver on his promise of reservation to the Kapu community. However, Pawan Kalyan made one significant remark. He said that Chandrababu with his experience of 40 years is giving us a taste of real-time governance and an indication that he is in the know of the misdeeds of his party leaders.

By this token, Pawan Kalyan should have been aware of Chandrababu's insincerity in 2014 when the latter promised reservations to the Kapu community and Pawan campaigned for the TDP. It was the YSRCP which stood by the Kapu community when insults were heaped on it at the time of the reservation agitation led by Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham. Not only were scores of Kapu leaders humiliated, but many of them were imprisoned. And it was not Pawan Kalyan, but the YSRCP which was steadfast in its support.

Now, Pawan Kalyan claims that Chandrababu is driving a wedge between communities. He has now woken up to the fact that the AP chief minister made false promises to members of the fishermen, boya and washermen communities assuring them of inclusion into Scheduled Tribes and that he created a schism between SC communities. The moot point remains--were these not promises made in the TDP election manifesto in 2014? Is Pawan Kalyan not at fault in extending support to the TDP without being aware of its election promises and their implication?

Pawan Kalyan now points out to all who care to know, that the Constitution does not permit reservations beyond 50%. But the Jana Sena founder says that reservations to BC communities should be extended by 5% and that the issue of quota for Kapus should be included in the ninth schedule. The actor-turned-politician says he would launch a struggle for this cause. He had also said that he would seek the support of MPs of other parties if a no-trust vote against the NDA govt. were to be moved. One did not hear him utter a word on the subject later.

When Pawan Kalyan now promises to fight for inclusion of Kapu quota in the ninth schedule. The question is does his word on waging a struggle now carry credibility? Or weight?

Chandrababu, who is a much stronger politician, indulged in political grand-standing, sent a token resolution to the Centre and washed his hands off the issue. He later took to criticising the BJP. We have seen how the TDP and its voices in the media flew hammer and tongs at YS Jagan for saying that the Constitution drew a line on reservations at 50%. Similarly, TDP leaders tried to find fault with the YSRCP chief for saying that in his opinion, Kapu quota should be considered independently of BC reservations ensuring that interests of BCs are not affected in any way and that he did not wish to make false promises.

However, AP Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu repeated the 50% cut-off limit. Pawan Kalyan has now taken the same line. This proves that YS Jagan did not resort to politicking on the issue and was sincere in his intent. The YSRCP chief deserves to be complimented for his integrity. His stance has been clear and in sharp contrast to Chandrababu's politics of false promises and betrayals. Pawan Kalyan made another significant statement. He said that if people of AP vote for TDP and Chandrababu, they would be deceiving themselves. The import of Pawan Kalyan's statement that people would find themselves to be the losers if they voted for a leader who tries to divide communities and social groups, cannot be lost on us.