Decks now cleared to hold much awaited elections to local bodies, sooner than later, with the state High Court directive. Of course, the High Court directive has come with a ‘rider’. That’s to ensure all reservations does not exceed 50 per cent.
In other words, the High Court directive may as well be construed as ‘blessing in disguise’ to the ruling Congress, which, in fact proposed for 34 per cent reservations for the BCs. To outwit the ruling Congress, if the TDP came out with BC declaration through which it promised of 50 per cent reservations, then the YSRCP moved further to boast of 50 per cent reservations in the state assembly’s total seats. Not lagging behind was the ruling Congress as its state unit chief Botsa Satyanarayana putting a poser; “why not reservations based on representation”, to floor his party rivals.
Yet many an analyst feel that in a far reaching judgment, a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Vilas V Afzulpurkar, made it clear that the reservations for various categories in the PR institutions should not exceed 50 per cent. In other words, the High Court verdict seems to have put brakes to ‘vote bank politics’ once for all!
But, at the same time none of these parties cannot escape going to people as the HC directive to hold elections to local bodies now becomes a binding on the state government. In that backdrop, what Kiran Kumar Reddy government will do? Will it move the apex court against the HC verdict or make arrangements to hold elections at an early date?
Thus far, the elections to local bodies, if held near date, will certainly be a ‘prelude’ to all political parties ahead of general elections scheduled 2014. Moreover, the Kiran Kumar government, in fact left with no escape route to postpone the local bodies further as the High Court has clearly asked it to begin the process immediately and hold elections within three months.
Litmus test to all: Ironically, the recent poll surveys conducted by two national media houses continue to haunt both the ruling Congress as well Telugu Desam. In both the surveys conducted by the India Today-Marg and NDTV gave a clear edge to the YSRCP, if elections were to held for Lok Sabha immediately. But, will that pattern of voting to Lok Sabha be applicable to local bodies? That’s a million dollar question, as quite often many analysts differentiate the local bodies elections to Lok Sabha or even to the Assembly, as local issues eclipse national.
Ironically, the ruling Congress, in spite of best of efforts of the Chief Minister to reach out to people with his pro-poor promises, unable to catch up with the people. The 2 lakh job opportunities to unemployed youth or ‘finding quick solutions or on-the-spot’ to people’s woes through Indiramma Bata are yet to gain appreciable, if not tangible results. This was in the wake of ongoing CBI probe into the jailed YSRCP President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s disproportionate assets (DA) case which linked to the controversial 26 government orders (GOs), which led couple of ministers as well good number of bureaucrats being framed in the ‘charge-sheets’ filed as accused.
As a result of that, the state administration came to a grinding half, while the infighting with the Cabinet coming to the fore quite often. This apart, the shortage of power, added to the woes of the ruling Congress.
The Centre’s decision to further increase prices of petroleum products after the parliament session also likely to prove a serious blow to already bruised state Congress party in the upcoming local bodies polls. How Kiran Kumar Reddy will try and wriggle out of the mess, one may have to weight, but the odds are certainly not his party’s favor, if elections were to be held.
Contrary to this, the main Opposition Telugu Desam is in no great advantageous position as indecisive attitude towards the T-statehood weakened that party not only in Telangana, but also in other two regions – Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. Moreover, the party also appears to suffering from ‘credibility deficit’ as the people of the state seem in no mood to be carried away by that party chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s promises. That the TDP is in a bad shape is evident from its dismal performance in all the by-elections that held to either assembly or Lok Sabha, after 2009. Instead, it lost good number of assembly seats to the YSRCP and TRS.
IN THAT BACKDROP, WHO WILL BENEFIT OUT OF THE LOCAL BODIES ELECTIONS?
The YSRCP and TRS appears benefit most to further penetrate in their respective strongholds. If the YSRCP looks confident to put a better show than the ruling Congress and TDP in other two regions of the state – Rayalaseema and Andhra, then the separatist TRS is comfortably place in Telangana to sweep the local bodies polls with the T-sentiment riding high.
Yet, one doesn’t know what up Congress sleeves? Only a ‘miracle’ may prove the political analysts wrong getting surprise, if not stunning results from these local bodies elections. (NSS)