Why is Chandrababu Naidu’s take on anti-corruption farcical?

On the eve of birth anniversary of Father of Nation, Thyagaraj Sports Complex in New Delhi turned into a hilarious and equally ridiculous venue for hosting a national convention ‘Manthan’ on challenges that India faces today, specifically on corruption.

Manthan initiated by Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG), a group of youngsters aims to reinforce accountable governance. The opening speech at this event was made by none other than TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

The CAG (Citizens for Accountable Governance) invited him to address the youth to inspire them to fight corruption. A paradox considering the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) censured Naidu repeatedly on corruption. During his regime that lasted for 9 long-years, Naidu spawned massive greed and corruption at an alarming rate, almost a scandal a day.  

When he was Chief Minister, he awarded short gestation power projects, BPL power projects to the companies like Spectrum and GVK. CAG pulled him up for the deliberate goof up in the enhanced tariffs given to the private players. When state owned APGPCL implemented its 174 MW combined cycle gas based power project at Rs 2.70 cr per MW, Naidu allowed Rs 4.50 cr per MW to GVK and Spectrum in the same year.

There were series of complaints of bribery against Naidu in privatisation of Kakinada Sea Port and in the land allotment to various port projects, the international airport at Shamshabad, the Hi-Tech city project, the IMG project, the EMAAR project and the list is unending. He conferred the prestigious Hi-Tech city project to L &T for 11% equity share to Government. Global competitive bids were not invited and prime land was given to L&T at free of cost for development of commercial complex.

These endless anomalies were framed in the charge-sheets released by CPI (M) and BJP. Some newsmagazines like Tehelka exposed his disproportionate assets and named him as the richest politician in India.

But, Naidu may just be the luckiest politician in contemporary India. He became indispensable in the changed scenario of coalition politics.  The BJP, which framed 100 charges against Naidu in 1998 and vowed to arrest him, had to depend on the support of 29 MPs of TDP.

Naidu seems to be running the same luck even now. The ruling Congress did not hesitate to take the help of TDP, the arch-rival of Congress, to scaffold the government, as there is a shortage of 90 odd MLAs. With the covert alliance, Naidu became the apple of the eye of Congress and obviously escaped being charged.

So, it is just plain ironic that a politician who has his closet full of scams and corruption gave his views on anti corruption to young people in the capital.

- Naresh@sakshipost