It’s do-or-die for cornered Kiran

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kumar Reddy’s categorical statement that he won’t be pushed around over Telangana statehood heralds a turning a turning point for the embattled CM and his party in the State — for better or worse.

Ever since he took charge after the exit of K Rosaiah, the former cricketer always confined his game to defensive shots as the party’s national leadership kept dilly-dallying on the statehood issue.

Even wave after wave of agitation causing losses of tens of thousands of crores in terms of production, destruction of public property, security, and not the least, investments that went to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for lack of political stability in the State.

The violent agitations also ensured that the image of the City was sullied. The debris of statues at Tank Bund, barely a kilometre from the Secretariat, is a reminder of the paralysis of the State administration.

Though in power with adequate numbers, the chief minister has been constantly under attack from elements within the party — some blaming his indecisiveness over Telangana, the rest over issues ranging from corruption-tainted ministers to policy blunders.

The constant wrangle for power between the CM and APCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana also undermined Kiran’s ability to command the support of the party’s rank and file. With Botsa and actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi being promoted by some factions as possible replacements, the CM’s continuation in the post was always under doubt. To make matters worse, the numerous visits by national leadership’s envoys never made any credible impact in favour of or against the CM.

The divisions in Congress also resulted in the party being humiliated in bypolls, first by the TRS and then by former chief minister YS Rajashekar Reddy’s son and YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Kiran’s inability to stop a scam-tainted political novice from a sizeable chunk of Assembly seats was the ultimate humiliation for the chief minister.

It was at this point that Kiran Kumar Reddy realised that personal political oblivion and decimation of the party was at the doorstep. And ever since, the CM has taken the route of squarely confronting political adversaries.

The CM made it clear that he  will be at the helm till 2014 and rubbished suggestions to the contrary. This was also an open challenge his critics within the Congress to come out and confront him. Kiran’s gamble paid off as, with a series of electoral defeats in the backdrop, no one could muster enough courage to stage a coup and face the prospect of snap elections.

The latest statement of ‘enough is enough’ shows that the party’s national leadership sees Kiran Kumar Reddy as the best bet for the Congress in these testing times.

However, there are more challenges that await the CM. He will have to get the Telangana leaders of the party to either fall in line or keep quiet. With the Telangana agitation going out of KCR’s control, Kiran will have to decide whom he should woo and whom to ignore.

He also needs to get his act together as the head of the Council of Ministers and ensure that the complacence and paralysis that has become the trademark of administration are done away with.

The fate of the government, the Congress and Hyderabad now hinges on the ability of Kiran Kumar Reddy to walk the talk.

(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on October 3, 2012)

Let’s pitch in to keep the City of Pearls shining

The saying ‘All good things must come to an end’ appears to be proving true in the case of Hyderabad. The capital of a resource-rich state has become the hub for the dark side of human nature.
The economy is in doldrums; the government in paralysis; and the judiciary — the last hope for the public — has fallen prey to corruption: dark clouds of despair cover our skies.
The latest wave of Telangana agitation — that began in 2009 yet inconclusive in realising its objective — has resulted in scaring away investors from the state. The beating that the infrastructure took and the crores spent in maintaining law and order have added to the State’s woes.
Last year’s 45-day general strike (Sakala Janula Samme) caused losses of thousands of crores, disrupted academic calendar and dampened the spirit of the people. Maintenance of infrastructure is not rocket science but basic planning with common sense.
Considering the chaos the City is going through since the start of the monsoons, one realises little headway has been made there. While civic agencies contend all is well, water-logged roads and traffic gridlocks that last for hours tell a different story.
Under attack on different fronts, the Kiran Kumar Reddy government has been spending all its energy on the bypolls to demonstrate to the powers that be in Delhi that the CM is on top of the affairs of the state. He definitely is on top, but has little ground under his feet. If there is anything that is in plenty in the State it is scams.
There is not a single sphere of administration that is free from corruption at the highest levels and in massive scale. The recent multi-crore cash-for-bail incident has thrown light on how legal ‘technicalities’ emerge that allow the rich and connected to stay out of jail.
The otherwise lengthy court proceedings, that condemn people as under-trials for periods several times the maximum possible sentence, are tweaked to suit the convenience of these VIPs.
Not only is our tax money looted, but we end up financing financing the looters’ ‘special class’ facilities in jail also! With a minister in jail and several others on the verge of joining him, one can’t help but remember a headline this paper carried a few months back — ‘Next Cabinet meeting in Chanchalguda’.
The agency that ensures the safety of lives and property of the public, the police, is in total disarray. With the DGP’s appointment set aside by the Central Administrative Tribunal and another top official on the run, the idea of going to the cops sounds like a joke.
However, one can’t blame all the woes of Hyderabad on men in khadar, khaki, and black and white. The blatant violation of every rule, disregard for fellow denizens that one sees in every sphere of life is the cement that holds the bricks laid by the big boys.
When caste and community loyalties, and irrational sentiments handout massive victories to parties that are neck-deep in corruption and disruptive activities, one can’t just blame the system. We are responsible in creating the monsters that exploit, humiliate and terrorise us. The first step to solving a problem is admitting that one exists.
Whether it is for a day or a five-year term, the government must carry out its primary duty — governance. The CM must quell crippling dissidence and take his colleagues on board to ensure that the numerous welfare schemes reach the beneficiaries.
The State capital, which is set to hold an international conclave on biodiversity in a few months, is in need of a facelift. The work of civic agencies should be coordinated better to avoid hassles to public and wastage of money. The denizens too should pitch in by following rules and procedures so that the City of Pearls doesn’t lose its sheen.
(This article was published as the editorial column in Postnoon on June 20, 2012)