Praja Sankalpa Yatra Sounds Death Knell For TDP In 2019

Y Satyanarayana

It is widely believed that the Godavari districts hold the key to the throne in Andhra Pradesh. If the huge welcome accorded to YSRCP Chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mass outreach initiative Praja Sankalpa Yatra in the twin Godavari districts is any indication, it is clear in which direction the wind is currently blowing. The last time around, the electoral outcome hinged on Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts. One sees a tidal wave of popular support in these districts today, which is giving sleepless nights to the TDP. Chandrababu's party came to power in 2014 by the skin of its teeth, riding the Modi wave and with the support of Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena.

Also Read:YS Jagan Padayatra: Historic Footprints On The Sands Of Time

Four years down the road, it is a different story altogether, and the Padayatra reveals the true picture of Andhra Pradesh, no matter what the Chief Minister's dashboard may have to say. The TDP’s image lies in tatters with corruption percolating down to the smallest village where Janmabhoomi Committees rule the roost. Each hour in the padayatra is a revelation on the widespread corruption the TDP has now come to be associated with. People flock to the YSRCP chief in village after village narrating unbelievable instances of corruption at the village and district level.

All through, YS Jagan has not merely walked long miles every single day, but has interacted closely with the people who come to him in a seemingly unending stream, to share their sorrows and everyday problems. In fact, a senior journalist observed that he had not seen a public figure demonstrating such patience in meeting people on a day-to-day basis over a prolonged period of time in the way YS Jagan has been. Unmindful of dust and dirt, the YSRCP chief marches on day after day, enduring heat and rain, lending a patient ear with a cheerful countenance to those who interact with him to narrate their problems.

The complexities of daily life remain the same everywhere in Andhra Pradesh and the TDP government has not done anything to address them from what people have been saying at every point. Farmers' loans have not been waived, DWCRA women's groups have been pushed into penury and have been declared defaulters, instead of their loans getting waived. Liquor flows freely across the state of Andhra Pradesh, thanks to the mushrooming of belt shops in villages. As a result, the fabric of society is being rent asunder, family ties and relationships are getting destroyed, with women having to bear the brunt of it, women lamented at every point. Ponds, lakes, rivers—every inch of land is fair game for the extensive sand mining mafia network, people have pointed out. Janmabhoomi committees, people say, have emerged as extra-constitutional authorities, reducing the village sarpanch and local level officials and functionaries to rubber stamps. Arogyasri, the pioneering healthcare initiative launched by the late Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy, has been watered down completely, as instances in village after village, revealed. The scheme has not been extended to neighbouring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, and in the fledgling residuary state, corporate hospitals turn patients away, as bills remain unpaid for months.

At every point in the Padayatra, scores of people have told the mass leader how they empowered their children with education thanks to the fee reimbursement scheme, introduced by Dr. YSR. In contrast, for months on end, the government does not deliver on the promise of fee reimbursement. Corporate schools and colleges, which elude the grasp of the needy, are accorded special patronage, because of their proximity to the government.

These are but some among the long list of grievances people have when it comes to everyday life under the TDP regime. Apart from listening to them patiently, the mass leader tries to redress their complaints at every step. The sight of people rallying behind YS Jagan seems to have sent a shudder down the collective spine of the TDP leadership. The bell has begun to toll for the ruling TDP, sounding its death knell for 2019, a reason why its leaders are in a scramble, unable to find a fix and aware at the same time that people are determined to reject them.

As Praja Sankalpa Yatra touches the 200-day milestone today, it is abundantly clear that Andhra Pradesh is rooting for change in a big way and Rajanna Rajyam, people now know in their hearts, is around the corner.