Hyderabad: Call it “Vendetta” politics or “Karma,” Andhra Pradesh State former Chief Minister and Telugu Desam supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu is passing through toughest time of his life.
Seventy-three-year-old Naidu’s arrest and jail by State Crime Investigation Department (AP CID) for his alleged involvement in the Rs 371 crore Skill Development Corporation scam comes on the heels of political parties gearing up for assembly and Lok Sabha elections and forging alliances.
Naidu is known as shrewd politician and pro-development all through his career.
The arrest put the State in a political turmoil and hit the opposition Telugu Desam hard.
Naidu’s arrest on September 9 is seen as a sweet revenge for Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy who spent nearly 16 months in jail in disproportionate assets’ cases in the past.
When Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was arrested and jailed in disproportionate assets cases and later, Naidu and TD leaders targeted Jagan Mohan Reddy of being “corrupt and amassed wealth illegally.”
YSCRCP then accused rivals Telugu Desam and others of indulging in vendetta politics.
Now, it’s the turn of Telugu Desam to make similar accusations. Like Telugu Desam in the past, YSRCP now asserts “law takes its course” and Naidu paying the price for alleged siphoning off public funds.
Shock for Telugu Desam
Arrest and subsequent 14-day jail of former Chief Minister Naidu has sent shockwaves in Telugu Desam camp and in political circles.
The case pertains to an alleged Rs 371 crore scam in A P Skill Development Corporation in 2014. Naidu was booked under IPC Sections 120 (B), 166, 167, 418, 420, 465, 468, 471, 409, 209, 109 read with 34 and 37 and sections 2, 13 (2), r/w 13 (1) (c) and (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. Naidu, who is a Z category protected person following attack by Naxals years ago, moved the court for “House arrest” instead of jail. But the lower court rejected his plea and he has now appealed to the High Court.
Naidu faced several cases in the past but none of the cases could be continued. Many of them are stuck in the various courts on stay or were not pursued. Rivals accuse Naidu being protected by ‘invisible hands’.
But this time Naidu arrest and jail has shocked his supporters and contrary to belief, there was no large-scale violence or protests across Andhra Pradesh. There is not even a strong condemnation from his allies, barring a few.
In fact, his arrest has left his cadre in disarray that fear similar action and most preferred nominal protests. Rivals say Naidu lost his sheen and has also become untrustworthy for both BJP and other parties.
Pawan Kalyan, Jana Sena chief, who plans to align with Naidu, and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee are among the few who condemned arrest.
Naidu, who was trying to move closure to BJP, too failed to get the support he had hoped for.
Jagan Mohan Reddy, when he was MP, had spent nearly 16 months in jail in disproportioned assets cases. He was arrested by CBI on May 27, 2012 in cases related to investments by companies in Jagan’s firms in return for alleged favours extended to him when his father Y S Rajasekhar Reddy was CM between 2004 and 2009. Those cases are still pending in courts.
Jagan broke away from the Congress when he was denied CM seat after the death of his father and launched his own political party YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh and won polls in 2019.
For Jagan it is calculated risk
Jagan, who faced tough time with Naidu and media baron Ramoji Rao is now trying to hit them back, taking a very calculated risk on the eve of Assembly and parliament elections, slated 2024.
Sources in YSRCP say that Chief Minister and his team have looked into all aspects before pursuing the case of Naidu and arrest him. They expected least protests, political fallout now or in ensuing elections.
Naidu, family and party men and women, denied the accusations and blamed the YSRCP government of indulging in political vendetta.
Lokesh, Balakrishna refute charges
Son and TD national general secretary, Nara Lokesh refuted the charges against his father.
“Chandrababu Naidu is a brand name. This was testified by Bill Gates, Bill Clinton and Fortune 500 CEOs. None believes the charges foisted on him. Our family knows only public service not corruption. Naidu strived for development of the State and welfare of people. This issue is like a speed breaker,” he said in Rajamahendravaram where Naidu is lodged in jail.
He added, “Snake has poison in the head, but Jagan has poison in his entire body. Jagan is trying to project Chandrababu Naidu as corrupt, but he will not succeed. It is big mistake on the part of Jagan to target Chandrababu Naidu. He will have to pay a heavy price.”
Lokesh said Jagan is facing 38 cases, 10 CBI, 7 ED and 21 others. “We will fight till the last,” he asserted.
Actor, brother-in-law Balakrishna refuted the charges and said Jagan will pay a heavy price for his misadventure.
Wife Bhuvaneshwari wails
Says wife Bhuvaneshwari who visited Naidu in jail in Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry): “I am concerned about his security and health. Even in jail he is thinking about welfare of people. He strived for their development and wanted AP to be number 1. He spent his life for welfare and development of people. He always said people were first and family next. He has been put in a building (jail) which he has constructed. I request people to ponder over the issue. He was put behind bars for no reason. You should all come out and fight for him. I feel I left behind a part of my body. It’s a tough time for family.”
YSRCP leaders hit back
YSRCP leaders hit back. AP Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana said Naidu was not a paragon of virtue and he should accept and apologise for his mistakes.
“Chandrababu Naidu as CM misused power and indulged in irregularities. He is involved in several scams including capital land scam. Instead, he is trying to whip up emotions and create ruckus,” he said.
No political fallout
Sources in YSRCP assert that Naidu’s arrest and jail will have no political ramifications nor help Telugu Desam/Naidu to gain politically in Andhra Pradesh. The government has “strong evidence” of Naidu’s wrong doing and he cannot escape the long arm of law.
YSRCP is determined to pursue the case and expose Naidu in the run up to polls.
TD leaders vow to fight back
On the other hand, Telugu Desam leaders vow to fight out political battle against highhanded action of Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
Insiders in Telugu Desam camp however say Naidu arrest will hit Telugu Desam hard since there is no strong leader after Chandrababu Naidu. Lokesh failed to impress as a leader and there is succession issue in Telugu Desam. Though Lokesh is trying hard to emerge as a leader he lacks the charisma and necessary skills.
No impact in Telangana
Naidu’s arrest has literally no impact in Telangana though Telugu Desam recently announced that it will contest all the assembly seats. The party has no MLA in the Assembly.
Naidu family divided
For some strange reasons, Naidu’s family looks divided. Besides family members, brother-in-law actor Balakrishna, sister-in-law Purandeshwari and other condemned arrest and jail, but actor Jr NTR maintained a muted silence.
On the other hand, Naidu’s step mother-in-law, Lakshmi Parvathi went to town hailing the arrest and paying the price for dethroning N T Rama Rao, who died in hopelessness. She also paid floral tributes at NTR samadhi hailing the arrest.
Big legal fight ahead
Both the Government and Naidu team are all set for a big legal fight in the days to come and use the case to accuse each other of being corrupt in the run up to polls.
Telugu Desam leaders assert Naidu arrest will help Telugu Desam gain sympathy, while YSRCP camp dismiss the claim saying Naidu’s image has taken a beating for the worst and has exposed his true colours.
Says Chief Advisor to C M, Sajjala Rama Krishna Reddy, “Naidu tried to build up a clean image over the years. He maintained that he wasn’t even touched by the agencies in any corruption case. This arrest and remand demolish that claim.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Jagan Reddy is away on a UK tour.
