The impact of neo-liberal policies on the political sphere could be explicitly seen in the rise in election expenditure in southern States like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana right from panchayat to Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat said here on Sunday.
Delivering the Makineni Basavapunnaiah memorial lecture on ‘25 years of neo-liberal policies and consequences’, here no Sunday, Mr. Karat said that the global finance capital had invaded the political system, further corroding the Parliamentary system. Barring the Left parties, the class character of the regional parties such as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has lost.
Other dominant regional political parties like the DMK were also sailing in the same boat. It was difficult to understand whether it was politics in business or business in politics, he added.
One can guess it from the people who were being elected to the Legislatures and Parliament.
The people cannot expect anything better from these politicians, whose interests were in business.
Their interests drive and shape the government policies, he said. The Congress and the BJP were on the same page in implementing the neo-liberal policies and encouraging corporate firms.
Only the CPI(M) and the Left parties were consistent fighters against the neo-liberal policies, he added.
CPI(M) Polit Bureau member B.V. Raghavulu released the works of Makineni Basavapunnaiah.
Sometime ago, two volumes of Mr. Basavapunnaiah were released taking the total volumes to four.
‘Unique situation in AP, TS’
On the occasion, Mr. Raghavulu said that a typical political situation was prevailing in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
TDP leaders were crossing over to the TRS in Telangana while YSR Congress MLAs were switching loyalties to the TDP in Andhra Pradesh.
Interestingly, both the TDP and the YSR Congress cry foul over the developments. The TDP accords red carpet welcome to YSRC legislators in AP and opposes TDP members joining the TRS in TS.
The legislators claim that they were impressed by the good governance and policies of the government and join the TDP for the welfare of people and development of constituency.
‘Saleable commodity’
“But people know the facts,” he quipped, adding, “The fact is that even politics has become a saleable commodity. It is a consequence of the neo-liberal policies. The price depends on supply and demand.”
CPI(M) State secretary P. Madhu and Prajasakthi Editor Paturi Ramaiah were present.
