Naidu’s chocolate-coated investment pitch
Spot an opportunity at eagle speed and go for it with the agility of a falcon. Few are unaware of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s adroitness in pitching Andhra Pradesh to investors. Ahead of the CII Partnership Summit, Naidu presented UAE minister of economy and tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri with the famous Araku coffee, explaining its distinctive flavour and significance. He even gave the minister a friendly reminder: “Every time you enjoy a cup of Araku coffee, remember Andhra Pradesh and think about investing in our state.” The UAE minister reciprocated with a box of chocolates. Little did he realise what was coming next. Naidu promptly pointed out that Andhra Pradesh was now cultivating cocoa, an essential ingredient in chocolates, and offered to supply it to the UAE. He then proposed that the UAE consider setting up a chocolate manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh. The minister could not help remarking, with an appreciative smile, that Naidu could spot an investment opportunity even in a box of chocolates.
Size matters. Naidu and the ‘big notes’ story
Is another round of demonetisation on the cards? Is it time to bid goodbye to the `500 note? Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has proposed this as a measure to curb corruption, particularly among political leaders. He recently urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw Rs 500 notes, retain Rs 100 and Rs 200 denominations and promote digital currency. Those shovelling currency notes to voters will find it more difficult if the high-value are removed from the purse. His logic: If political leaders spend heavily at the time of elections, they feel like recouping the losses and more if they get elected. His solution: Nip it in the bud: His expectation: If there are no bundles of currency notes changing hands, leaders will focus on development and welfare once elected. Remember, Naidu has said that he had first recommended demonetisation to Prime Minister Modi, resulting in the Centre withdrawing the old series Rs 500 notes and Rs 1,000 in November 2016, as well as the replacement of Rs 2,000 notes.
Babu tackles storm of a different kind
Practically every government official at every level had their hands full this past week, dealing with two cyclones and two elections. While the twin challenges tested the mettle of officials across the government, some had even more to grapple with. Take Kakinada district collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad, for instance. He not only oversaw efforts to deal with the aftermath of cyclones Arnab and Murasu but also put in the hard yards during the urban and local body elections, even taking on tasks normally handled by his juniors. But even his sense of humour must have been tested when he encountered a situation that perhaps no one in the AP babudom had to deal with during that hectic week: separating warring officials. On the counting day of the ZPTC and MPTC elections, Zilla Parishad chief executive officer Lakshmana Rao apparently left the logistical arrangements entirely to Kakinada revenue divisional officer S. Mallibabu. This led to the two officials locking horns, arguing and exchanging unpleasant words. Prasad had to step in to separate the quarrelling duo and restore peace. How Collector Prasad managed to keep his cool amid all this could well be a lesson in administration.
When a cop stops a civic chief
“Bade bade deshon mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain.” Did Vizag municipal chief Ketan Garg have a throwback moment to the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge’ at the CII Partnership Summit at the port city? It so happened that even as the VIPs were trooping into the venue, where thousands of crores of deals were signed, Garg, who had striven might and main in making sure everything was in place, ran into an unexpected block. A vigilant cop stopped Garg and asked him for his identity. Garg reportedly told the policeman, “I am the GVMC commissioner; you must let me through.” Well, history is full of stories of guards stopping emperors, and getting rewarded. It is not quite known if Commissioner Garg put in a good word for the cop with his bosses.
Jagan’s scramble to guard home turn
If fortunes do not undergo a sea change, it is not politics. That is what has happened in Kuppam, long the constituency of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. After winning 151 Assembly seats in 2019, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy set his sights on all 175, specifically putting Kuppam in his crosshairs. His ‘Why Not Kuppam?’ slogan gained traction after the YSRC captured the municipality and swept all four ZPTC seats in 2021. Five years later, the question has changed, and Jagan finds himself at the receiving end. The YSRC chief is now struggling to retain his grip on his own backyard of Pulivendula. The Telugu Desam won 31 of the 32 municipal wards in Kuppam, besides all four ZPTC seats, in the recent elections. In Pulivendula, Jagan’s party went from sweeping all 33 wards in 2021 to winning just three. The TD, in the latest round, captured 34 wards in the expanded civic body, the chairperson’s post and, for good measure, the Pulivendula ZPTC seat. Naidu has thus returned the political compliment to Jagan without even needing a slogan. As someone aptly suggested, it is time to change the poser from ‘Why Not Kuppam?’ to ‘What About Pulivendula?’
Roja’s bottle bash pours cold water on protest
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. This common idiom was perhaps not on YSRC leader Roja’s mind when she went into a stormy petrel act. It all happened over crucial votes at the Illathur counting centre. Her protest over the reversal of an MPTC result in Nagari was a serious electoral issue, but Roja took the drama in an entirely different direction. An aide offered her a bottle of water, perhaps to cool her down, but she instead flung it in anger. Guess where all the attention went? To Roja and the unfortunate bottle. Roja claimed that the YSRC candidate was initially declared the winner by 10 votes but lost by three after a recount. Given the dramatic reversal, her demand for another recount deserved attention. But the bottle-throwing brouhaha ended up pouring cold water on the very issue she wanted to highlight.
Anam’s wrath outruns his Buddhist calm
Generational anger does not subside easily. Even Lord Buddha’s teachings may not be enough to douse it, if one goes by Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy’s latest outburst against former Atmakur MLA Mekapati Vikram Reddy. “Don’t teach me politics,” thundered Anam at the Mekapati scion, who is a couple of decades younger and has far less political experience. Anam recalled how he had once chased and thrashed rowdy elements decades ago. Clearly, the minister wanted to remind his young political critic that age may have slowed his pace, but not necessarily his political temper. To drive home his point, Anam said he had embraced Buddhism, but that should not be mistaken for having renounced his ability to give offence. What triggered his anger was Vikram’s allegation of police high-handedness and favouritism during the Atmakur elections, particularly his description of the episode as a “murder of democracy”. Anam, in turn, asked the Mekapati family to introspect on its own political history. It just goes to show how politics can make even a Buddhist take off his gloves.
The sound of YSRC silence
Talk of the silence of the lambs. After being declawed in the Assembly elections, the silence in YSRC circles is indeed deafening. At the counting centres after the recent polls, particularly in Kurnool and Nandyal districts, counting continued until the early hours of the following day. Yet YSRC leaders, including former MLAs and MLCs, did not question the delay. Instead, many of them trooped out by 9 pm, when, in political terms, the night was still young. Counting continued for several more hours, with TD candidates eventually declared winners. Some leaders clearly discover their voice only when in power and prefer to go into the dark when defanged.
With contributions from Md Ilyas, Vadrevu Srinivas, Aruna, Avinash P. Subramanyam, Pathri Rajasekhar, Ramachandra Reddy Gundam
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
