Democratic practices go for a toss in TS

The people of Telangana expected KCR to deliver on the promises he made during the election campaign. However, the first year of his government shows as if he has dedicated most of his time to protecting his chair and strengthening his already very strong party in the State. The latest media leak of AP CM’s audio conversation with the nominated MLA Stephenson is more scandalous. While the authenticity of the tape is still a question, it does raise many critical questions which TDP need to answer. It’s imperative that all political parties including TDP and TRS need to revisit their core ideologies

Telangana State has just celebrated the first anniversary of its formation. The 29th State of India is the outcome of six decades of struggles and sacrifices of the people of Telangana. In electing the TRS to power after the State formation, the people aspired for good governance, welfare of poor, irrigation to farmlands, employment and focused elimination of poverty, apart from self-governance and cultural identity.

However, what is seen and felt in the State of Telangana in the first year of TRS government, unfortunately, is nowhere close to the aspirations of the people. In fact, the Telangana State today is primarily popular for ‘power politics’ and it’s making quite a progress in this area. The ruling party has led the politics of ‘shameless political migration’ with many examples over the last 12 months by successfully luring many leaders, including elected representatives from Congress & Telugu Desam Party, into its fold. In fact, an MLA of TDP has become a Cabinet Minister in the TRS government without having to resign as the MLA of his earlier party.

Technically, his resignation is not still accepted by the Speaker of the Assembly. The people of Telangana expected KCR to deliver on the promises he made during his election campaign and through his party manifesto. However, the first year looked as if KCR has dedicated most of his time to protecting his chair and strengthening his already very strong party in the State. Looks like KCR adopted ‘offence as the best form of defence’ in trying to root out TDP from the State, while the regional sentiment is still alive – a classic case of ‘power politics.’

TDP seems to be not left behind either, with almost five of their MLAs shifting over to TRS and a few more defections are in the pipeline. The Revanth episode showcases the desperate moves by the TDP to survive in the Telangana region. While one can point fingers at TRS for having initiated the horse-trading business in the State, it’s no excuse to follow suit, no matter how politically compelled a party is. The exposure of alleged horse-trading in Revanth’s case is a shameful visual spectacle; not to mention the low-level conversation between the transactors in this unethical political enterprise.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. But none expected this level of desperation just in the first year of a new government. TDP exhibited an utter desperation which is inexplicable. The latest media leak of AP CM’s audio conversation with the nominated MLA Stephenson is more scandalous. While the authenticity of the tape is still a question, it does raise many critical questions which TDP need to answer. It’s imperative that all political parties including TDP and TRS need to revisit their core ideologies and the central objectives of their parties.

Going by the way political trade is being executed in this State, the democracy and its spirit are the biggest victims. The episode of the NDA government led by Shri Vajpayee losing the no-confidence motion with just one vote showcases the strong ideological leadership of BJP to not even attempt political trade in the direst circumstances. While this high value-centered politics was not too long ago, the current and immediate future of this kind of value-centric politics looks bleak in the present political environment, especially in the State of Telangana.

A party in power consistently working towards eliminating and decimating the opposition, and the parties in opposition primarily opposing and unsettling the party in power, to solely re-acquire power, is against the basic tenets of democracy. For a functional democracy, existence of a real opposition is as important as the party in power. Intolerance towards all opposition amounts to signs of dictatorship and that’s not the Indian system of governance. It’s quite shameful that these incidents happen even after 70 years of independent India. A clear proof that the Indian democracy and the spirit of our Constitution are certainly deteriorating steadily. (The writer is an official spokesperson of BJP)

By Krishna Saagar Rao