Andhra Pradesh in safe hands

Oftentimes, survival itself is an achievement. But in his first year as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Konijeti Rosaiah not only provided political stability in a State rocked by the Telangana statehood agitation; he also went about the tasks of governance with poise and purpose. Although Andhra Pradesh had to weather a financially difficult period, he did not allow welfare measures to suffer: in fact, under his leadership, the pro-people measures have been sustained and put on a more realistic basis. Years of administrative experience had taught him to approach knotty issues with sensitivity and caution. Thus, on the Telangana issue, his steadying influence and clarity of vision eventually guided a wrong-footed central government to a reasoned stance. More than anyone else, he realised the grave implications of allowing the formation of a Telangana State without broad-based consultations and a true political consensus. On being catapulted to power under unexpected circumstances following the death of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Mr. Rosaiah handled the power thrust upon him with modesty, sobriety, and a sense of responsibility. Not one to hanker after posts in party or government, he carried out the tasks of governance with a quiet, reassuring efficiency.

At the helm in South India's largest State, Mr. Rosaiah found that the biggest challenge was not in administration but in politics — and it has taken the form of Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, son of the charismatic YSR. Not for a moment did the son let anyone forget that he regarded the chief ministership as his divine right; and in consequence, he has spared no effort to unseat Mr. Rosaiah. After enduring for a year Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy's political antics motivated by blind ambition, the Chief Minister now needs to deal with his political mobilisation through the “Odarpu Yatra” to ‘console' the families of those who committed suicide or died of ‘shock' following the untimely death of YSR. Mr. Jaganmohan Reddy is holding up the yatra as a demonstration of political strength, in the hope of undermining the political authority of the Chief Minister. Without politically meeting this crude challenge, Mr. Rosaiah will not be well prepared for the tougher tests ahead. The Srikrishna Committee is to submit its report on the Telangana issue by the end of the year, and the matter will require the full attention of the State government. Political provocations and irritants can only be dealt with politically. Now that he knows he enjoys the full confidence of the national leadership of the party, Chief Minister Rosaiah must assert his political authority and raise the level of governance and development to the next notch.