Jagan keeps to poll promises but at a heavy price

Visakhapatnam: It has been hundred days since Mr YS Jaganmohan Reddy took the reins of Andhra Pradesh. The 47-year-old Jaganmohan Reddy is considered to be one of the youngest Chief Ministers in the country. Mr Reddy sworn in as the Chief Minister on May 30, 2019. His overwhelming victory in the Assembly elections surprised many political analysts and intellectuals in the country. Mr Redd-led YSRCP won 151 out of 175 Assembly seats and 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats. This stupendous victory left his opposition party Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in utter desperation.

Mr Reddy has never compromised on his poll promises, even though they have a huge bearing on the exchequer.

The YSRCP government has taken bold steps such as the merger of RTC employees with the state government, banning liquor sales in a gradual manner, appointing thousands of volunteers in the state, Interim Relief to government employees and pensioners, taking up 1.4 lakh jobs in village secretariats, to name a few.

“We consider above decisions are the major milestones of the YSRCP government in the 100 days of ruling,” said a senior leader of YSR Congress Party.

Mr Jaganmohan Reddy is very stubborn in his words and deeds. He declared that the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) made by the TDP government will be reviewed and canceled if any misappropriation is found when he was in opposition.

He also announced that Polavaram project works and other contract works executed during regime of Mr Chandrababu Naidu will also be reviewed. He tried to go ahead with the cancellation of PPAs, but the APTEL (Appellate Tribunal For Electricity), has recently ordered not to review or cancel them. The Government’s stand on the issue is awaited.

All is not well with the government. The scarcity of sand and the closure of Anna Canteen are some of the things that trouble the common man. The ruling party has tried for a better policy for sand, but it has become too late, making lakhs of labourers workless and forced the construction works to stop. The new policy on sand started from September 5, but the fruits have yet to reach the sufferers.

However, the financial position of the state is not encouraging. It was reported that the finance minister Mr B Rajendhranath Reddy has requested the CM not to announce any more new policies as the financial position is alarming. Many poll promises like Amma Vodi, full fee reimbursement have to be implemented. The revenue on liquor was also decreased due to the policy of the government to gradually ban alcohol in the state.

The opposition has termed the YSR government as a total failure. Former Chief Minister Mr Naidu blamed the government for its mismanagement. He lamented that YS Jaganmohan Reddy is killing the capital Amaravathi. “The ruling party leaders are assaulting the opposition cadre. This vendetta politics indicate that total failure of law and order situation in Andhra Pradesh. The people are unhappy with the new government,” said Mr Naidu.