A great tragedy, an irreparable loss, a deep felt vacuum has struck the state of Andhra Pradesh and its near 100 million people in a still incredible and totally unexpected fatal blow of fate which has snatched away the much loved and esteemed and popular Chief Minister of the state of Andhra Pradesh. He seemed to have everything going smoothly for him for the next five years. It is still hard to come to terms with the sudden cruel joke of destiny in snatching away such a dynamic and charismatic and visionary of a leader. Dr. YS RajaShekhara Reddy is no more.
A politician who had patiently and doggedly waited in the wings for almost 30 long years as a die –hard congress loyalist despite many new and quick temptations and opportunities in between , while his own mates and party co-workers jumped at and made successful and lucrative political careers, he remained with the congress through thick and thin , in fact during its darkest and hopeless hour . A time had come when the Congress seemed to stand no chance of keeping itself afloat, he single handedly brought Congress back to power, displacing the well ensconced Telugu Desam party and its leader who seemed so secure in the seat of power, having got into the good books of all the really worthwhile and influential and powerful not only in the state and the country but internationally. Mr. Y S Raja Shekhara Reddy, by winning over and addressing the really needy people and their problems, who formed the majority in the state, proved and demonstrated that MNCs and Metropolitans alone do not constitute the State or its development and progress. Indeed it was a Herculean task and he did accomplish it with his marathon Padyatra in the last elections and brought the Congress back to power which many had dreaded as its last chance.
In 2004 , displacing the then well established CM who had won even international awards and accolades for his rule and policies, who was being considered as a potential future prime minister, YSR swept to thumping power ,championing the rural sector issues of agriculture and unemployment. He was a real Indian leader of the masses of grass root politics and people’s welfare. His 64 day padyatra, which brought him into direct touch and contact with the masses, helped him frame his future policies . And once in power his priority was the rural and farming community which was much neglected by the previous government. He gave free electricity to farmers, waived their loans, introduced several welfare schemes like pension for the aged , widows and handicapped, housing for poor, Rs 2/kg rice. His much praised and relief bringing scheme was the Rajiv Arogyasri, wherein the poor could get medical operations costing up to Rs.2 lakhs free of charge in the best of corporate hospitals which seemed unheard of and incredible dream before . And the lasting scheme, the massive programme to build irrigation projects which would be a lasting testimony and tribute of his tenure.
This stupendous and immensely pro- people policies and governance , especially the common and marginalized brought him back to power this April with a thumbing majority bagging 156 of 294 seats in the state Assembly and 33 of 42 Lok Sabha seats.
He proved a genuine well-wisher of the Minorities, especially the Muslims. The Policies and Programmes he initiated for the upliftment and amelioration of Muslims will be long remembered. So many Muslim youth benefited with his policies of scholarships and reservations and incentives at different levels of career and employment. Surely he was a genuine well-wisher and benefactor of the Muslim minority.
Born in 1949 in Pulivendla village of Kadapa District of Rayalseema ,the eldest of the five sons of a local leader YS Raja Reddy , YS Raja Sekhara Reddy from humble origins, was trained as a Medical Doctor in Gulburga. Beginning, his Political Career as a youth leader during his college days , joined the Congress during the Indira Gandhi era, who had appointed him as the Congress party leader. Having won his first election in 1978 to the Assembly he had steadily nurtured and kept his constituency , remaining a die hard Congress loyalist. Braving and surviving the SEEMA faction fights and rivalries, holding on and standing by the Congress through out, he had romped to power in 2004 . Destiny had really rewarded and favoured him for all his patience and perseverance and crowned his last five years with due power and glory.
The State Government or for that matter the National Congress party nay Indian Polity could ill afford to loose such a stalwart and dynamic and at the same time a popular leader of the masses. Looking around, there is nobody in the State Congress party cadre who can take up his post and do due justice. Indeed, A Politician and a Gentleman he was. A rarity in Politics.
Surely, a Monolith has fallen and the loss and void will be felt for a long long time to come. May his soul rest in peace and his ilk increase.
–Siasat