World-renowned magician PC Sorcar is worried about his career these days and that is because one person has proved himself to be better than Sorcar at creating illusions.
He is none other than the Honorable Chief Minister of AP, Nara Chandrababu Naidu.
Read Naidu’s recent statements: “If Rome has the Vatican then AP has Tirumala. Lord Venkateswara will ensure the prosperity of all who invest in the State. AP will attract $ 20,000-$30,000 million investments in the next decade. The world’s largest ring road measuring 180 KM will be developed at a cost of Rs 2500 crore. We are bringing out a port policy, agro-policy, excise policy etc etc.”
Only God knows whether even a fraction of this would come true but the public lap it up as it gives them a feeling of something positive happening.
“Our aim is to make Andhra Pradesh one of the top three performing states in the country by 2022,” says Naidu.
When he was in power for nine years and had the influence to get even Bill Clinton to Hyderabad, he couldn’t reach this goal. How will he do it this time around with fewer resources and an opportunistic ally in the form of BJP?
By the way, playing around with facts and statistics has always been a key element of Naidu’s ‘modus operandi’.
In the year 2000, Naidu gave a presentation called ‘Vision 2020’, to a delegation of Swiss officials and businessmen. The presentation envisaged Naidu’s plans for the State. Reacting to the presentation, the leader of the delegation and Swiss Minister for Economy, Mr. Pascal Couchepin felt that Andhra Pradesh’s target for a seven fold increase in the gross state product in the next two decades was a bit too ambitious.
“Such projections we cannot make in our country. In the best of electoral speeches in Switzerland, we cannot make such promises or projections. If I make such promises I will be sent either to a jail or a (mental) hospital,” said Pascal much to the discomfiture of Naidu.
When Naidu in a bid to save face, gave the example of Dr Reddy’s Labs which had increased turnover a thousand fold, the Minister said that corporates may do it but it was very difficult for States. And the Minister had one final parting word of advice for Naidu.
He said that a predominantly agrarian state like Andhra Pradesh should lay stress on the development of the farm sector, which provided employment and food grains to the people.
Judging by his recent actions after coming to power, one can see that Naidu has paid scant heed to Pascal’s advice and is continuing with his jugglery of numbers.
No wonder PC Sorcar is a worried man!
