What went wrong for Jagan?

Once again the voters of Andhra Pradesh have stunned political analysts, pundits and psephologists alike with their one side judgment like in 2019. The YSRCP fell from 151 seats in 2019 to 11 seats in 2024, where in its MLAs can go to Assembly in a share auto, while the TDP raised from 23 seats in 2019 to 136 seats in 2024 and when one counts the alliance partners too, the count raises to 164 seats.

Against this backdrop, everybody is discussing about what went wrong for Jagan Mohan Reddy?

Lies, Damned Lies and YSRCP

In Andhra Pradesh, there are three kinds of lies – lies, damned lies and YSRCP. In the run-up to 2019 elections, YSRCP resorted to a series of lies and damned lies against the then ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its leadership. These lies were carefully fabricated over a period of time by the YSRCP after realising that they cannot take on TDP through regular electioneering.

Based on these lies, the YSRCP leadership unleashed Goebbels propaganda against the TDP. Some of these lies ranged from ‘pink diamond’ to ‘caste based appointments’ to ‘not even a brick was laid in Amaravati’ to everything else. These YSRCP lies were spread among the public consistently using Jagan-owned Sakshi newspaper and Sakshi TV along with social media platforms. Sadly, before the TDP realized the damage caused by these ‘YSRCP lies’, it was voted out of power. Thus, the very foundation of YSRCP’s ‘landslide victory’ in 2019 was based on damned lies spread consistently by the YSRCP.

Cheating Voters

During the tenure of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, the voters developed a sense of ‘taken for granted’ and felt that they were deceived by the YSRCP. Jagan Mohan Reddy during his padayatra had brushed aside the demand from government employees about shifting to Old Pension Scheme (OPS) as so easy and he would do it within one week. Similarly, wherever possible he literally promised heaven to everyone he met and at every place he went. His promise increasing pension to Rs 3,000 was not fulfilled at one go. Instead, it was incrementally increased at Rs 250 per year, whereas the previous TDP government increased the same from Rs 200 to Rs 1000 at one go and again to Rs 2,000 at one go. With regard to complete banning of liquor, instead of introducing ban on liquor, Jagan completely messed up liquor policy. Thus, he turned his back on his promises assuming that he can cheat all the people every time.

No Development

During the YSRCP tenure in power from 2019 to 2024, no progress was made. Not even a single infrastructure project was taken up newly during the past five years. Simultaneously, not even a single ongoing project was concluded or completed during Jagan’s tenure. As a result, there were no new jobs for the youth in Andhra Pradesh, forcing outward migration in search of livelihood.

Adding to this capital city, Amaravati, foundation stone ceremony grandly carried out in the presence of the Prime Minister of India was left unattended for five years. Polavaram dam, the key to interlinking of rivers in Andhra Pradesh was left to its own fate. It appears that Jagan Mohan Reddy attempted to ‘undo’ everything that his predecessor has done and in the process ignored development completely.

Suppression of Dissent

Any iota of dissent during Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure was handled with iron fist, where in the police, especially CID police, are bound to knock your doors during dark hours. Any small post either on Whatsapp or Facebook or twitter (presently X) criticising the YSRCP-led government was an invitation to the police to your house.

Downtrodden sections of the society, particularly Dalits, were targeted and harassed for protesting or raising their voice against the ruling YSRCP. This continued for all five years and became a norm over a period of time. Such scuttling of democracy was extended to opposition political parties also where in around 25 cases were filed against Nara Lokesh and another 25 or so cases against Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Other TDP leaders and cadre were harassed for raising their voice with foisted and concocted cases.

Bad Governance & Mal-Administration

One example of bad governance between 2019 and 2024 was the removal of government orders (GOs) from public domain. Only after the intervention of the State Apex court did the GOs find their way to the website. Even after that also several GOs that were issued did not find their place in the public domain. Several advisors were appointed to the Government with fat pay cheques and other facilities, while most of the advisors were never in Andhra Pradesh and did not advise the government on any aspect. In the name of volunteers and village/ward secretariat corruption increased and people were specifically targeted to support the YSRCP.

Surprisingly, people were victimised for having political views alternative to that of YSRCP. All the key posts in the bureaucracy were filled with a particular community that Jagan hails from. Further, the administration during Jagan regime suffered from so much of narcissistic tendencies that Jagan’s picture was printed on almost every document issued by the government including caste certificate and land patta, etc. Wherever it was not possible to have the picture of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, colours of the YSRCP were used, where current poles, road dividers, etc., were all painted with YSRCP colours.

Vengeance

For some reason, Jagan Mohan Reddy perceived revenge as a kind of politics and power as a tool for revenge. He started his regime with demolishing ‘Praja Vedika’ (People’s Forum) instead of using the material to rebuild at some other place. It appeared that he sent a strong signal to the people of AP how his regime would be for the next five years. Vengeance and destruction would be the hallmarks of Jagan’s regime for the next five years. As a part of extracting revenge against oppositions parties like TDP, he extensively used police force to harass, physically torture them by filing foisted cases and arresting them. This in turn only created sympathy among public and gained support against YSRCP. Further, in several places violent attacks took place against TDP activists and cases were filed against the very same TDP activists only. Victims were only further victimised.

Villages together were vacated as they supported TDP in several places. Broad daylight murders were carried against TDP cadre, while the culprits roamed freely in spite of heavy evidence against them. In order to pursue revenge, Jagan has used police officials with tainted record or by offering the lucrative posts in the government.

All the above coupled with mis-handling of COVID crisis, mis-management of natural disasters like floods and drought, increase of prices in general and electricity charges, RTC bus charges, violence against Dalits, BCs, Minorities and women, etc., in particular had all led to the debacle of YS Jaganmohan Reddy.

At least now, it is high time that Jagan Mohan Reddy instead of blaming others should do some self-introspection as to what went wrong.