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Y S Rajasekhar Reddy’s life span lasted exactly for sixty years and like a true age of a retired person, he bid farewell to this world. But then, come to think of it, this dynamic leader has lived his life like a king just for about 9% of his life.
The mathematics shows that YS was the Chief Minister for the last 5.4 years which goes to show his best times. Before that his life was filled with Pada Yatras and struggles as an opposition leader. YS toiled hard to be where he is today and it was just five plus years back that he actually began to enjoy the fruits of it.
Known as a ‘Srama Jeevi’ who has given his life for the betterment of people, YSR has made a mark for himself in the hearts of others and though fate has not given him the due fruits of his hard work, he left a strong impact in the lives of others with his acts and deeds.
Even as he battles the agony of losing his father so unfortunately and so untimely, young Y.S.Jagan Mohan Reddy perhaps is also battling another tragedy – that of the heartbroken AP’s deaths triggered by YSR’s sad demise.
All that he could perhaps has on his lips is a prayer “please don’t die” because he knows how much his father loved the very same people and gave up his life in their service.
That is one facet to the phenomenon of YSR that the junior has to contend with. It is also the aspect that the Congress party could be considering in the days to come even as the battle for succession rages. The party could be weighing this factor far more than any.
There is a link between these deaths and how YSR made AP a bastion for the Congress party at the Centre.
The chopper crash has claimed not just five lives including that of YSR, but also that of 343 persons so far in the State. Majority of these are due to heart attacks. The rest were consumed by their passionate love for YSR who reached out to them in the last five years like none others had done.
There is no geographical disparity too to these tragedies that are striking individual households. Cutting across regions, people are following YSR in his death too just as they had done, in his life.
What could be the reason?
Populist schemes and programmes may fetch one votes as one has seen in several states. But not such love. A careful analysis of the deaths brings to our notice one fact that most of these are poor people whose very life was transformed by YSR. The late Chief Minister not only introduced several schemes but every one realize that those are not mere schemes, but his way of thanksgiving to the masses who brought him to power after a very long political career.
Free power or Rs.2 a kg rice scheme could help you one time in retaining power, but certainly not endear one to the masses so much as YSR did. Only some one like him who could constantly think of people’s welfare could achieve this. If rice scheme and free power helped YSR’s vote bank, what made him a god of the masses is his Arogyasri, pensions to the aged, 108 and 104, housing programme and scholarships.
These programmes enveloped entire state and had no political imbalances. The poor and the deprived sections saw not just a benefit in them but a new lease of life. Just earning two meals a day is not what they wanted, but dignity to their lives. They wanted some one to take care of their all needs. And YSR did exactly that. The aged and the infirm in the villages got restored of their confidence that even if their children neglect them, they could survive. The young widows could stave off the wolf from the door with the widow pensions that YSR delivered. Arogyasri was a rare phenomenon that revolutionised the concept of health care and brought five star treatment facilities to the doorsteps of people. Serious ailments like congenital disorders that could snatch away dear family members were kicked out of the households. Diseases like cancer were no more threats to the lives.
Persons did not hesitate to knock the doors of corporate hospitals. They clutched their white ration cards, got wheeled into the hospitals with ailments and walked out smiling. Then there was the letter from YSR, perhaps a fifth or sixth one, inquiring into their well being and blessing one and all. The smile on the face of YSR was in fact what the smiling poor donated to him. And he wore it in style.
People poured out their grief in front of him and he consoled them patting their backs or touching their heads. The confidence got restored. The self-dignity that YSR restored in the masses was something that made him a messiah of the masses. In him they saw, an elderly son, a brother, an uncle and a father, but not just a Chief Minister.
If today the same spontaneous outpour of grief is slowly turning into a demand for continuing the YSR legacy, it is not strange. The masses are seeking is continuation of the same programmes and schemes that changed their lives and restored their right to decent life and dignity. They are also seeking the same caring and loving attitude that went along with those till the other day.
It is this legacy that they are thirsting for. Because, they are not sure that power hungry politicians could continue delivering the same, they are raising this slogan and pressurizing their MLAs and MPs to bow to their wishes. Caught in the whirlpool of emotional yet rational pressure is the Congress public representative. What are they going to do, is a million dollar question ahead of them now. If they don’t yield to the people’s wish, they find it difficult in going back to their constituencies. If they seek the same from the high command, it could give one an impression that they are trying to blackmail in favour of someone.
It would be interesting to watch the moves of the Congress high command now. The people are waiting with bated breath. Many with their breath halted already out of fear that along with their dear YSR, their hope too has vanished.
Barely two or three hours after YSR passed away, it was rather embarrassing to see the opposition party speak about politics. The person to talk about that happens to be Nannapaneni Rajakumari and she was speaking about how Jagan was not the right choice for the post of CM since he lacked experience and no political exposure properly.
Jagan here should be compared to NTR and Chiru. What Nannapaneni Rajakumari failed to realize is that when NTR became a CM, he did not have any political experience. On the other hand, Chiru with his set of MLAs did not have any training so wonder what she was talking about.
Nannapaneni must know that to be a successful leader, what an individual requires is the brains to run a system and its people, supporters in party along with the public appeal. Jagan has got the right amounts of it and he has every right to be compared with NTR and Chiru, say many. Many say it is about time Nannapaneni focuses on better things in life than rake up politics even at such a dark hour.
In spite of voicing support to Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s candidature for the chief minister’s post, Parliament member Lagadapati Rajagopal is reportedly playing his cards in the national capital. Rajagopal is keenly monitoring the political developments in the state Congress and is not averse to throw his hat in the ring in case an opportunity comes by, sources said.
As an industrialist, Rajagopal has wide contacts with many influential leaders in the party and also industry bigwigs. At the same time, Rajagopal has many adversaries in the state party. While he could be opposed tooth and nail by legislators from Telangana region, his relationship with the Andhra Congress leaders is also wanting.
Keeping all these facts in mind, Rajagopal has reportedly begun networking with those opposing Jagan’s candidature in Delhi.
“Rajagopal has very good relations with Union urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy, which he could utilise to push his case in case of a confrontation over leadership in the state,” a Congress leader close to the MP said.
Rajagopal was the man who took Union health minister Gulam Nabi
Azad, Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and AICC leader Narayanaswamy to Idupulapaya to attend the funeral of the late chief minister. He reportedly engaged a Reliance chopper specially to fly down the national leaders to Kadapa and take them back.
Rajagopal reportedly told Jagan that he was going to instal bronze statues of YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a big way across the state soon. Sources said that plans are afoot to instal at least 294 bronze statues at a cost of Rs 2-2.5 lakh each in all the constituencies. Curiously, the YSR camp legislators are not enthusiastic at his attempts. “Backing Rajagopal as CM? We cannot even dream of that,” fumed Pedana MLA Jogi Ramesh.
