Telangana Polls: Is TRS In The Pink Of Health?  

Swapna Ashok

Step into any TRS candidate's office and one can see that every object from chairs to towels that they use, walls, stairways and more, are all pink! For TRS as a party or political entity, pink has been the flavour of quite a few seasons. The past 4 plus years have been a marked self-proclamation for the party and Government-something that was formed with tireless efforts and relentless agitation led by KCR. Their pride- formation of T State and taking steps towards a model Bangaru Telangana.

The election fever, which began on a low-grade note in Telangana state is fast catching on, with the ruling TRS holding mega meetings in major districts and the opposition group trying hard to catch up locally with the few confirmed candidates campaigning aggressively. Most of the TRS' candidates are incumbent MLAs, a fact which is in resonance with their claim to fame- the development-led first term. The leaders are clearly expecting a grand win assuming that it is all hunky-dory and pink. Every leader is repeating the mantra of various schemes like Kalyana Lakshmi and Kanti Velugu with a few figures here and there. There is a marked divide in the leaders where the newbies are giving their elocution-like speeches and juvenile responses on one hand and the more seasoned lot displaying their political finesse with smart and witty proverbial remarks.

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The opposition on the other hand - a motley mix of old and young, ideological dissimilarities and gaping intellectual chasms is still groping in the dark with alliance arrangements, a strong agenda and even constituency-wise candidates. The unhappy marriage is so complex that T Cong leaders are now holding on to the Late YSR and his schemes to find an anchor to present their agenda. Their local speeches start off and end with talking of YSR schemes and it is but clear that a strong focal point is lacking in the current confusion. Neither a Rahul nor a Chandrababu seem to be as relevant to them in Telangana for their campaigns. It makes sense, since the Congress, despite claiming that they are singularly responsible for the State of Telangana in 2014 barely managed 21 seats then. The TDP which did not actually take a stance on the issue of T state too, got close to that number. So the question remains as to what it is beyond the anti-incumbency that they are harping on, and a few sweeping statements on the feudalism in the govt-that they can actually talk about? It therefore justifies their need to hark back to the YSR era- be it with health schemes or irrigation projects. In more personal interactions many leaders are quite emotional about this! "We can campaign with a YSR picture and get enough votes here," says a top Congress leader.

Coming to what people perceive of the government's performance, it appears that the past four years need to be assessed with impact rather than mere ambition and implementation of schemes. While a few decisions like 24 hour power have been recognized and acknowledged and the overall perception has been upbeat, it is also true that a single focus area or segment could not be highlighted because of the over-anxiety of the government in attempting to build a 'bangaru Telangana'. The perception on occasion, is that too many plans were made without a strong enough framework to support the implementation, as assessed by analysts. Some of the elected TRS leaders themselves accept that they are about fifty per cent close to the targeted plans. The impressive areas have however,been novel ideas like SHE teams and the manner in which major pending projects were resolved, although many of these were urban-centric. A few roads here and there, many lakes restored under Mission Kakatiya and a marked emphasis on Bonalu and Bathukamma- reinstating the lost culture have been other add-ons.

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So what is the larger election picture at this point? The first sign of some anxiety was perceived when the assembly was dissolved much ahead of the completion of its term. Another issue that is being propagated by the Congress is the manner in which old cases and raids on their leaders are cropping up, though one doubts whether this would strike a chord among the masses. The Congress leaders, like their TDP counterparts, have no answer to the question--why should they be afraid if they have nothing to hide? The TRS on its part, needs to bring a spring in its step, and establish a stronger connect with the people-something that few leaders have done so far. A reality check is paramount and it is time to accept that the T agitation was over in 2014 and that they have been around and in-charge for over four years now. Some image building is needed to give out a more accessible vibe and a true intention that they stand for democracy and real equality. Else, the opposition is bound to cash in on these lapses. Needless to say- there is time yet for the election mist to clear for us to get more clarity on all these aspects.

(Swapna Ashok is the Executive Editor of Sakshi TV)