An epic battle between two families and two castes in Andhra Pradesh

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An epic battle between two families and two castes in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad - Chandrababu Naidu and Jaganmohan Reddy would be facing off in yet another episode.

By Sriram Karri

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Published: Tue 9 Apr 2019, 9:41 AM

Last updated: Tue 9 Apr 2019, 4:42 PM

As they make a last 72 hours scramble for voters' support in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu, and leader of opposition and YSR Congress Party chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, would be facing off in yet another episode of a long drawn saga between the two families to dominate the politics of the state, with the latter hoping to realise his dream of becoming CM.
Naidu has been a tall Telugu leader ever since he left the Congress party and joined the TDP, a party founded by his father-in-law and one of the greatest icons of Telugu cinema, N T Rama Rao. Serving in various capacities in both government and opposition, Naidu became a star-crossed rival of his former friend in the Congress, another young star on the rise in politics in the State, Dr Y S Rajashekhara Reddy (YSR).
Naidu helped his father-in-law and political boss regain power after a coup by a party insider in the early 80s, and between 1989 and 1994, led the opposition attack against the Congress. While Naidu was rising in the TDP, his friend-turned-foe in the Congress, YSR, failed in his attempts to become CM. Once NTR returned to power in 1994 with a huge mandate, Naidu successfully toppled him in a coup and ascended to the throne ahead of YSR.
He ruled for nine years as one of the most successful CMs, leading reforms, and transforming Hyderabad into a software hub and an investment paradise.
YSR, after tasting defeat against Naidu in 1999, finally repaid the 'debt' in 2004, not only defeating Naidu but sending him into political background for a decade. YSR scored a second victory against Naidu in 2009, but died in a helicopter crash within a few months; leaving both Naidu and Jagan out of power but unflinchingly determined to get it.
Jagan Reddy's attempts to become CM by making Congress legislators loyal to late YSR sign a petition in favour of inheriting his father's mantle within hours of his death rattled the Congress high command, and he chose the path of rebellion. He was arrested on corruption charges and put in jail for over a year.
In 2014, when Jagan took on Naidu for power in Andhra Pradesh, both of them were in opposition, and the bifurcation of the state had been completed. Naidu took on Jagan in partnership with the BJP led by Narendra Modi and popular cine star K Pawan Kalyan. Naidu won with a small vote margin.
The rivalry not only represents the two families across two generations, with Naidu's son, N Lokesh, who was inducted as a minister into the government, now having jumped into the electoral fray for the first time; but also the rivalry between the two major dominant castes of the state - Kammas and Reddys.
Barring a few months when K Rosaiah, a senior Congress leader was made a standby CM after YSR's death, for over the last 30 years, AP has been ruled either by a Kamma or a Reddy.
One of the major promises made to Andhra Pradesh to offset its losses from bifurcation was a Special Category Status (SCS), which would have given several financial and other benefits to the state.
After coming to power, Modi never granted the SCS to Andhra Pradesh, and Naidu, who was a partner of the BJP's alliance, the NDA, could not persuade the Centre to grant it. Jagan, taking a leaf out of his father's book, took to a gruelling walk over 3,000km  across Andhra, building a mood and momentum against Naidu. Convinced about the issue becoming a thorn in his flesh, Naidu quit the partnership with Modi and began making serious demands for SCS. Jagan argues that the failure of Naidu in getting special status is a strong reason to vote him out. In turn, Naidu argues that Jagan was a clandestine partner of not only Modi in Delhi but also of his arch-rival and Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrasekhara Rao.
According to Jagan, the failure to make much progress in building a capital, getting investments, creating jobs, providing adequate welfare schemes besides massive corruption and crime are other reasons why Naidu must be defeated. Naidu argues that despite the conspiracy of Modi, KCR and Jagan, he has done well.
His greenfield project to build a new capital named Amaravati by voluntarily pooling fertile land has not fared well, having wasted several years in just identifying the design and architect firms.
Pawan Kalyan, who did not contest in 2014 and instead supported Naidu, is now the third player; just like a decade ago, when his elder brother, and equally if not more popular matinee idol, K Chiranjeevi formed the Praja Rajyam and contested - he did not win but split the anti-incumbency votes and helped YSR retain power.
Andhra Pradesh is marked by a fierce triangular contests at several places, where caste rivalries and practice of bribing voters with money are rampant. Some of the candidates have put up war chests of Rs1 billion each. The vicious campaign and smear tactics have not only engulfed the mainstream media, most of it highly partisan, but also the social media.
"I will win because the people are with me," says a confident Jagan. Most surveys and political analysts concur with his view. Naidu's partymen, who say Jagan will unleash mafia rule if he comes to power, hope he is unlucky a third time around.
Sriram Karri is a columnist and a political analyst based in Hyderabad



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