Andhra Pradesh ministers keep off people, let down CM

Vijayawada: Chief Minister and Telugu Desam supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu is concentrating on political inductions from the Opposition parties instead of taking corrective steps to set right the lapses from his own Cabinet colleagues and senior party leaders. The issue has come to fore for a debate among the rank and file of the TD circles.

Several AP ministers, especially those who belong to Krishna and Guntur districts, could not strengthen the CM’s political hands and project the Amaravati capital city plans before the public to win their support, even as the districts in the capital area got more prominence in the state's developmental push.

Significantly, the ministers failed to skirt controversies and opposition from two important castes — Kammas and Kapus. The Kamma community, which is mainly behind the TD’s success, is now unhappy with the TD rule, and their anger is mainly over the imposition of the green zone rules.

The majority of landowners belonging to the Kamma community resi-ding around the Vijaya-wada and Guntur cities is facing problems from the new government ru-les. However, ministers failed to take note and brief the CM about the groun-dswell of anger against the government.  

Moreover, the ministers are living in isolation. They are not in touch with the rank and file of TD, and they are even keeping themselves off second-rung leaders, important organisations and the local people. This is a major debating topic in the two districts.

Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, who used to closely interact with sections of the people, is no more interested in meeting the people.  

One Railway union leader said that he could not contact the minister, even on phone, to discuss important issues of the Andhra Pradesh government and the Railways.

The thousands of land-owners in Amaravati capital villages are also not happy with the responses of ministers. Landowners gave their land for capital city works by putting confidence in the image of the CM. The ministers of two districts along with municipal minister P. Narayana had toured the villages several times. But, after completion of land pooling, they are keeping off.

According to reports, the greenbelt rules already hit the interests of landowners in the limits of Capital Regional Development Authority.

Fact is, at present, the ministers and the entire TD set-up are totally dependent on party founder NTR’s image and CM Naidu’s performance. The CM is taking steps for TD's good show in the next elections too, but his ministers failed to carry the message to the public.

According to reports, the greenbelt rules already hit the interests of landowners in the limits of Capital Regional Development Authority.

As per these rules, new constructions would not be allowed 500 metres outside the villages, towns and cities. Once this was known, land sales have gone down and realtors have begun showing less interest.

A sizeable number of Kamma community landowners used to sell their land for their children's education or for a comfortable life. That was when land prices touched crores. But now landowners are no more able to sell land for their individual family needs.

Meanwhile, ministers from Kapu community also failed to avert the recent incidents that affected the image of the government. This, even after the CM took various decisions in favour of the Kapus.  

Prominent Kapu leaders even suggested to Kapu ministers to organise a meeting in Vijayawada city to highlight the setting up of the Kapu commission and release of funds for the Kapu development corporation by the government. But the ministers did nothing of the sort, and then the TD and its government were caught unawares by the Kapu Ikya Garjana offensive.

Gulf between CM and mantris hit state plans

AP ministers could not gather essential support for government plans from the public as a huge gap existed between ministers and the rank and file of TD as also various sections of the people. This is resulting in problems.

Earlier, TD leaders and ministers, especially those who belonged to Krishna and Guntur districts, played important roles in politics. Now, the ministers of the area are not in a position to boost party image and win support for the CM’s plans even as the two districts have got more prominence in the government’s scheme of things, in view of the capital city development.

In TD’s past, several leaders played crucial roles in handling various political and developme-nt issues by being in close touch with the public.

They enjoyed good reputation and solved issues by directly discussing matters with the CM and the public.“Now, the situation is such that it appears there is a gap between ministers and the CM,” a former minister said.