Modi wave won't be felt in Telugu States: Professionals

Hyderabad: It is a mixed bag of perception that professionals, senior bureaucrats, university vice-chancellors expressed about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Ministers of both the Telugu States K Chandrasekhara Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu. However, they were of the opinion that Modi wave will not be felt in the Telugu States in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

According to M V Sastry, a tax consultant, the so-called wave about Modi is only a media and social media hype and expressed doubts whether it will influence the voters in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He said the real India lives in the villages. Against the backdrop of agricultural distress, he was doubtful about the influence of Namo campaign on the rural voters.

He pointed out how farmers in Madhya Pradesh had turned against BJP for not getting MSP for their agricultural produce. Adding further he said, "KCR known for his large-heartedness addressed the same issue by rolling out Rythu Bandhu Scheme (RBS) providing financial assistance to farmers and credit should be given to him."

But, Sastry said that Modi scores when it comes to simplifying the laws and brining transparency in the tax laws like doing away with filing of income tax return for those earning Rs 5 lakh and less per year. Besides, strengthening the Institute of Chartered Accountants and brining professional responsibility in accounting, corporate sector are other aspects for which the credit goes to Modi, he said.

Vice Chancellor of a State University from Telangana said, "the relaxation given in income tax would not benefit even the lower and upper division clerks in my university. That apart, the Modi wave is limited to only some urban pockets, but it is hardly touching the rural folk in Telangana, he said.

Giving similar opinion another VC from Telangana said, the Centre could not do much when it comes to the education sector in the last five years.

At the same time, he is all appreciation of the Modi's government for trying to bring lot of accountability and transparency in the higher education institutions, linking funding to the performance outcomes, which is a welcome sign, he said.

Raghu Ram (name changed), a senior IAS official from Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, said, AP and TS are different from other places in the country. The kind of campaign being adopted by BJP might not help it to convince people in AP. Even in case of Centre -sponsored schemes (CSS), it is always the State governments which get credit than those at the Centre, he said.

Voicing the same views, another official, Kamesh said, "more than performance, the BJP is trying to ride on the sentiments and campaigning on the national security and the like. But it would not work in the two Telugu States," he averred.

Countering this, Prof Balaram, former principal of Law College in Hyderabad said, "Younger generation and students see in Modi a strong leader. For some, national security might be a sentiment. But young people see in Modi a leader ready to take a call," he added.

Anshul, an IT professional said, among the young professionals Modi is seen as a leader adopting a practical, logical approach for different issues at the right time.

And, his ability to take decisions against the odds shows him as a strong leader trying to clean the systems. Nikith G, a CA student from Visakhapatnam said several of Modi's policy decisions will have aimed at long-term goals cutting the clutter in the administration to boost the growth and development.

But, the welfare schemes of both the CMs of the Telugu States might have more influence among the rural folk than Modi, she added.