Freebies are deciding factor in AP polls; Opposition follows YSRC in freebies

VIJAYAWADA: Freebies will be a deciding factor in elections in Andhra Pradesh. Ruling YSR Congress echoes its welfare mantra to attract masses while the opposition Telugu Desam, which opposes disbursal of money in the name of welfare, has changed its tune.

TD chief Chandrababu Naidu has announced that, if elected to power, he will provide more welfare aid to people than the present Jagan government.

Recently, the Jagan government filed an implead petition in the Supreme Court in the freebies case, stressing its dedication to continuation of the welfare schemes. The other parties are also planning to offer innovative freebies to attract the public in the elections. Hence, freebies will be the main agenda for the 2024 elections.

Chief Minister Jagan Reddy, banking on his government’s flawless welfare schemes implementation, started a negative campaign against Chandrababu Naidu by warning the people that these benefits would be stopped if the TD comes to power.

The Navaratnalu welfare schemes are the main strengths of Jagan now, as he implemented the YSRC manifesto promises in the first three years of his rule against all odds. Two out of the three years since Jagan came to power were consumed by the woes of the Corona pandemic. Even the financial crisis caused by the pandemic situation did not deter him from the implementation of these schemes.

Almost every poor family is benefiting from one or the other scheme of the state government. A sum of Rs 1.60 lakh crore was disbursed to beneficiaries of these schemes without any break since 2019. 

TD chief Naidu had accused Jagan of disbursing public money as Pappu-Bellalu (dal-jaggery), and was saying that this made people lazy, forced AP into huge debts and turned the state into a Sri Lanka kind of situation.

Naidu and all leaders conducted extensive campaigns on state finances, debts and crises but these failed to click, as people trusted Jagan and gave his party victory in every election in the past three years, including the local elections in Naidu’s bastion Kuppam. These results forced the TD to have a rethink.

The TD chief, in his recent Kuppam visit, announced that he will implement welfare schemes beyond Navaratnalu and that such poll promises will be included in the TD’s  next election manifesto. According to reports, TD will chalk out better welfare schemes compared to Navaratnalu to win support of the masses.

Political analysts note that Jagan’s dedication cannot be questioned vis-a-vis implementation of poll promises, compared to Naidu. Naidu promised loan waiver to farmers and women but he did not implement this fully by weakening it with many norms, they pointed out.

The unemployment allowance, marriage assistance, free education of Minority girls, free laptops to students and interestingly Anna Canteens also started six months before the last assembly elections, that too in selected areas. People distrusted Naidu even though he started disbursing amounts to DWACRA women before elections, and voted for YSRC, it was noted.

Jagan is disbursing the benefits of all schemes by pressing a button and the money goes directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries without any corruption. He thus won the trust of a majority of the people.

Analysts note that Naidu was famous for shunning welfare schemes by citing excuses but is now sensing danger and hence opted for freebies. Freebies are thus going to play a major role in 2024 elections, but Naidu will first have to win the trust of the people that he would implement his promises.