Most of us, the genuine and ardent Congress/YSR followers have been bewildered and frustrated with the ways of Congress High Command (especially Sonia Gandhi) and the state Congress leaders ever since the untimely and unfortunate death of the party savior and its greatest popular leader in the party’s state history, YSR. The High Command could easily and recklessly neglect popular and Congress party workers’ sentiments in installing a puppet (Rosaiah), who would not dare to seek election to state Assembly for fear of losing. The losers, aka seniors (VH, KK, Kaka, Harsha, RC, Yashki, RDR, JC, Jana, Sankar Rao, etc) support the High Command line for the sake of the cake, irrespective of the fact that they are irreparably damaging the party.
Of course, as always I deeply believe YSR was the main reason for Congress to win the state for Congress and was the main reason could form the government at the center both in 2004 and 2009. Whichever way they slice it or dice it, it’s not Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi that got the party victorious as the above mentioned losers/brokers claim against a wily and ruthless fox like Chandra Babu. There was no one (I mean NO ONE) but YSR and YS Jagan, who campaigned in any constituency other than their own in 2009.
This shameless KK that never won a direct election in his life, even after Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi campaigned for him is above everyone else. These shameless and spineless bootlicking fellows go on to claim that everyone else is a zero but for Gandhi family. Just because they are zeros, let them not assume that everyone else is zero too.
There were a lot of things perpetrated by the High Command that pained us after YSR death but the most glaring ones are:
1. Denying YS Jagan the CM post, even after most MLAs and the party workers wanted. India is a democratic country. Whoever can gather more support than the next in line must lead. Some people ask innocently as to how and why Jagan is eligible for the post. The direct and simple answer is majority in the assembly. If anyone thinks this is not right, I would ask them to go check the cases of Rajiv Gandhi becoming Prime Minister in 1984, Sonia Gandhi becoming the President of AICC, Chandra Babu becoming the Chief Minister of AP in 1995, Kumara Swamy becoming the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The magic word is majority. Remember the NTR phenomenon of 1983 when the decisions were made blindly from New Delhi. Those dog days will come back to Congress party again and this time there won’t be YSR in Congress party to do the hard work to get back the power for Congress. Some people might say it was Chenna Reddy that got Congress party power in 1989. But most people do not know that more than 135 MLAs out of 170 odd that won wanted YSR to be the Chief Minister. This goes on to prove that YSR was the only leader till today that could square up against TDP. But for YS Jagan today, there won’t be any one to lead Congress victorious again.
2. Prompting the losers VH, KK, Kaka, Harsha, RC, Yashki, RDR, JC, Jana, Sankar Rao etc. to talk ill of YSR in an attempt to tarnish his legacy (they even demeaned the shock deaths of the passionate YSR and Congress followers). These losers say YSR depleted the state government of funds with his pro-poor schemes. There are a couple of things to be noted here. Besides getting Congress party back to power both in Centre and state in 2009, these programs were vital to the poor and needy in the state. The Indiramma gruhaalu, Rajiv Arogya Sree, 108 Service, Feed Reimbursement for poor, and Rs 2/kg rice take care of a major part of the society. How come industrialists and entrepreneurs get tax breaks, free land and other soaps and what crime have these poor people done not to get their health taken care and their kids go to professional colleges? I do not see these same people complain the free education grants for the needy children in US Universities and the farmers getting all kinds of subsidies and money from the US government? All these pro-poor programs cost AP State government less than 2000 crore rupees in a budget of over one lakh crore rupees. Let the industrialist and companies that got all free lands and tax breaks give back to the government and these programs would not be a burden to anyone. In a broader sense, the government has the responsibility to look at the needs of the whole society not just the richest and the brightest.
3. Deciding to split Andhra Pradesh on the pretext of KCR’s fake hunger strike and some unruly elements disturbing the law and order situation. This is the ultimate travesty of the High Command. Everyone who is sane and can think knows, it was Sonia Gandhi’s game and KCR was performing his role. Who are these people in Congress core committee to decide on splitting our state? Sonia Gandhi (Italian, she should ask for Sicily to be given independence from Italy), Pranabh Mukharjee (the man who could never win without the support of either CPM or Mamatha Benerjee should think of splitting Darjeeling from WB), Chidambaram (the man who was defeated in 2009 but bribed and threatened his opponent to get elected should be thinking of splitting South Tamilnadu from Tamilnadu). What right do these people have to split Andhra Pradesh?
4. Stopping a peaceful and democratic Odarpu yaatra of YS Jagan in Warangal district on the pretext of TRS protests, even though it’s one’s fundamental right to go anywhere in the country. The state government headed by a dummy, K Rosaiah scheming to injure or kill three women legislators just because they support Jagan. Instead of trying to stop Jagan from Yaatra, the High Command should have tried to arrest all these unruly elements when they threaten bloodbath and not let them pelt stones on women legislators. People need to be reminded of couple of brave acts by the Gandhian Prince. He defied Mayavati to tour UP, when she threatened him of dire consequences if he enters UP. He defied Raj Thakare threats that Mumbai belongs to Marathis to tour Mumbai for three days and declared it to belong to all Indians. He was honored as a hero by Rajmatha (Sonia Gandhi who begged for the support of Sharad Pawar, Sangma and Mulayam for the post of Prime Minister but could not reach it and then started being extra-constitutional power with dummy PM and a dummy President) and AICC. Is Telangana not in yet to be divided Andhra Pradesh and in India? The state government should have resigned the day that they could not provide security for the yatra and not able to arrest KCR and his goons. Why is that KCR and his goons can threaten any one and get away with it? Why is that the great daughter of KCR (Kavita) can threaten any one publicly and not be put in jail? The failure of Law and Order situation is direct result of a most impotent and boot licking Rosaiah and the negligent and criminal behavior of the High Command. All the leaders that are with High Command and trying to crush YS Jagan would be in for a great surprise when time comes for them to go to the people. And the days of getting roughed up by public are not very far for the old, cruel, wily, ungrateful, and soul-less shameless Rosaiah.
5. Choosing Renuka Chowdary to Rajyasabha, even though she lost the last Loksabha election by a whopping 1.5 lakh votes is the worst crime that the High Command can do now. She, the shameless human being, who perpetrated the flexi drama with her own men in Khammam and blame Jagan saying he is a rowdy never apologized. Why is that Sonia Gandhi is choosing this shameless lady instead of some eligible senior politician that never got an opportunity to contest? What is so special about her? Is talking against YSR and YS Jagan the only qualification for a position in Congress Party now? We could appreciate if even DS get nominated as he worked hard for the party. It would be interesting if Bhuma Nagi Reddy contests, or MIM or TDP fields candidates against both VH and RC. Both VH and RC would lose for sure. That would teach them a much needed lesson.
In the context of the above issues, is Jagan on the right path in terms of what he is doing now? The ways of Jagan reminds the public of his great father, YSR. His body language and his questioning the High Command for the right things, his passion for keeping his word. Some people question if he was committing a grave mistake by defying the party. Not at all. If does not do what he is doing now, he will be another boot licking politician like the losers VH, KK, Kaka, Harsha, RC, Yashki, RDR, JC, Jana, Sankar Rao, and others. Who wants to prostrate in front of those Delhi bosses when you are stronger than the rest of the party put together? Jagan honestly does not need to be like any of them as he has the support of at least 25-28% of voters in the state. People who dare to claim that he does not have the popular support like Sharad Pawar and Mamata Benerjee do not understand the big picture. YS Jagan has the popular support, followers, money, and his own media and most of all the mass sympathy that he was done a great injustice by Sonia Gandhi and the High Command. It will be Congress that will repent their present actions at a future date. We will all see the future and it will remind us of YS Jagan’s actions of 2010 and they will prove to be the right ones!
----- Gurava Reddy, Atlanta
