History Repeats

Like father like son. If late YSR’s padayatra shook the seemingly invincible Chandrababu Naidu to the core and unseated him from power, son YS Jagan’s yatra is making him tremble with fear. Such is the massive response from the people that Chandrababu is unnerved. Both YSR and YS Jagan have visited Prathipadu and like his father, YS Jagan too is inching towards his final destination – Ichapuram. Interestingly, during both the yatras, Chandrababu naidu was the chief minister.

Like his illustrious father, YS Jagan is also touring Prathipadu in East Godavari district. The people still remember what YSR had said during his visit to Prathipadu and every word that he spoke ring true even today. YS Jagan too is striking a chord in the hearts of the people with his sincere words.

The TDP, which had ignored the people’s problems for four full years, is now trying for course correction. The reason for this is not a genuine change of heart. He is driven by political concerns as elections are just round the corner. After ignoring the demand for compensation to the unemployed, he is now trying to implement it in a much truncated form. Though he had promised Rs 2000 per month, now he had reduced it to Rs 1000 per month. Also, he had pruned the number of the unemployed youth to just 12 lakh, while estimates say there are 1.70 crore unemployed in the state.

Prathipadu is a farmer dominated constituency and farm-hands are found in significant number here. A large number of them are flocking to YS Jagan to pour out their tales of woe. They are complaining that the farm and DWCRA loan waivers have not been implemented and that they had been given a short-shrift by Chandrababu Naidu. They said that they cannot afford costly education, but they cannot admit their wards in the Government school as there are no teachers there.

A visibly moved YS Jagan told the women that he would stand by them and that he would solve every problem once he came to power. He said the tenants farmer-related acts would be overhauled.