Chandrababu: A Glowing Symbol Of The Gulf Between Precept And Practice

Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, has not only been repeating that the Centre has been discriminating between northern and southern states, and that he would stand up to this biased treatment, but has also sent his Finance Minister, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, to a conclave of finance ministers of southern states held in Kerala. Chandrababu Naidu also has plans to hold a similar conference in Amaravati.

Let us for a minute, presume that the Centre is indeed discriminating against southern states. Such a partisan attitude on behalf of the Centre would certainly call for a struggle. There is indeed nothing wrong with that. However, it must be noted that the Union government releases funds to different states, as per certain principles, policies and laid down procedures. The central government does not have the right to withhold funds as per its own discretion. It might give extra funds to certain states, but it cannot deny any state the funds allocated to it.

Chandrababu Naidu, who is sermonising to the Centre and to all others, needs to introspect on this matter. Is he not denying funds to constituencies represented by opposition MLAs, as if they represent other states? YSRCP MLA Bugguna Rajendra Prasad Reddy had to approach the courts on this matter. He has accused Chandrababu Naidu of giving funds to his own partymen, as per his whims and fancies, in Andhra Pradesh. One cannot predict when this would come up for hearing in the High Court and when the verdict would be delivered.

One thing is clear—from the time that Chandrababu Naidu became chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, he started tormenting and persecuting opposition MLAs. He has consistently denied them funds and has not allowed development work in constituencies represented by opposition MLAs to proceed.

Chandrababu Naidu announced openly that he would take up more development work in the districts of West Godavari and Anantapur which gave the TDP, the maximum number of seats. Moreover, when his party MLAs from Prakasam district went to him ?to discuss development work in their constituencies he is supposed to have told them, as the talk in political circles put it, that Prakasam did not give the TDP many seats, and asked them why any work should be taken up in the district! They were understandably shocked. By this logic, ?in ?his own district, there are fewer TDP MLAs compared to the opposition YSRCP! Is he applying the same principle in Chittoor as well?

During the late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy‘s rule, there was no discrimination of any kind in the allocation of funds to various regions or constituencies in the state. TDP MLAs such as Kesav and Erraballi Dayakara Rao say that they received substantial funds during his period. He gave funds in abundance with typical large-heartedness. Chandrababu Naidu, on the other hand has become increasingly narrow minded his approach and has attracted a lot of criticism.

What is worse is that he had announced that he would offer Opposition MLAs substantial amounts to defect to the TDP and admitted 23 MLAs from YSRCP into his party, giving cabinet positions to 4 of them. In constituencies represented by YSRCP MLAs, the ruling party has released funds along with GOs, in the name of TDP candidates who lost the elections! Is this democracy? When it comes to villages, Janmabhoomi committees are a law unto themselves, acting as extra constitutional power centres. Chandrababu Naidu who has introduced the ‘cut’ formula for these committees and allowed them to sprout all over the state is now finding fault with the Centre! It is no one’s case that the Centre should discriminate between states.

Chandrababu Naidu needs to introspect on what he is doing in his own state before pointing a finger at the Centre and before claiming that it is discriminating between northern and southern states. Does he think that people would not ask him this question? Has Chandrababu Naidu stooped so low? Has he fallen so pathetically in terms of values that he has thrown all democratic principles to the wind? If one practices what one preaches, at least to some extent, one would earn a modicum of respect.