[1]Two-and-a-half years as Chief Minister, and about a year before the state goes to polls, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy is fighting fit to take on the Opposition. “It will be a pure positive vote this time based on the performance of my government,” Reddy told this newspaper in an exclusive interview.
Dismissing any comparison with Karnataka, where the incumbent BJP government was defeated, the Chief Minister reeled out a list of figures to show where his confidence came from: Lakhs of jobs for youth, the new schemes he had launched in the state, and the fact that he had another year’s time to let it all percolate down to the voters.
“I had said that in the first year, I would concentrate on state finances and law and order (in view of the Telangana agitation). In the second year, I would concentrate on stabilising all the schemes and programmes of government. In the third year, I would go all aggressive and concentrate on political affairs. Everything has gone according to my priorities,” the CM said.
He dismissed opinion polls that painted a different picture, saying that “they were conducted long back”.
Excerpts from an interview:
Q. What have been your achievements in the last two-and-a-half years? Are you able to instil confidence in the Congress cadre about a hat-trick for the party?
A. I am confident that the Congress will emerge victorious in the next elections, which are a year away, and also in the local body polls, which are just a month away. It will be a positive vote this time on the performance of my government. There is still a lot of time for me before the General Elections. One year is not too less. Let all the schemes reach the people and let them form an opinion about the government.
Q. What is the reason for your confidence? Is it because of the schemes you have introduced?
A. Please take note: People form their opinion regarding who they should vote for based on the performance of the government. If the government performs well and delivers all the promises it made before the election, why would people prefer another party? I am 100 per cent convinced that people of the state, by and large, are convinced that my government is doing its best, and performing very well.
Q. But surveys and opinion polls conducted by some agencies give a different picture. If you take the recent Karnataka poll verdict, people there have voted against the incumbent BJP government.
A. You are talking of surveys and opinions conducted long back. The situation is totally different now. The Congress across the state is gaining tremendously. We got a positive vote in the co-op polls; The people of Karnataka were fed up with the inefficient government administration there. That situation is not the same here. Congress and the government administration is delivering the goods.
I took up Indiramma baata (reaching out to people) in 13 districts. Everywhere I found favourable atmosphere for the Congress. I also found all welfare schemes reaching the people targeted. Many Congress leaders are openly saying that I have made it possible for them to visit villages and tell the people something concrete about what the government is doing.
Q. What about implementation of the poll promises of 2009? You have not addressed the promise of increasing free power for agriculture to nine hours from seven hours, or the promise of enhancing the amount of subsidised rice from 20 kg to 30 kg.A. I agree. Even at that time we had told the people that if there is going to be an increase in gas allocation, we will give more power.
Unfortunately, gas allotments were drastically brought down. I improvised in the rice subsidy scheme by bringing down the price from `2 per kg to `1 per kg in order to provide food security to 7.5 crore people of the state, which has never been done before. I not only implement all the promises, but also introduced more schemes to benefit a majority of people. Amma Hastam will be a big hit.
Q. Some Congress men are angry with you for not consulting them bef-ore announcing schemes. Even ministers are complaining.A. That is not true. All the concerned ministers and departments were consulted. There was a debate, discussion, financial commitment — all this happened before announcing any new scheme.
Q. What is your USP?
A. Clean administration, commitment to people, concern about development of the state … these are the qualities that I hope people will not forget. I want to remind you of what I told you after becoming CM. I had said that in the very first year of my Chief Ministership, I would have to focus on the state finances and law and order (in view of the Telangana agitation). In the second year, I would concentrate on stabilising all the schemes and programmes of government. In the third year (current) I would go all aggressive and concentrate on political affairs. Now, everything has gone as per my plan.
Q. What about the anti-incumbency factor? Even if you do a lot of good things for people, they may not prefer you for a third term in a row.
A. That is not correct. After all, why do people vote a party to power? Just because they expect it will do something good for them. When we are doing that, I don’t think anti-incumbency will be a factor. But, generally, anti-incumbency will be there for any party that is ruling. We are overcoming that by improving the performance of the government in a systematic way.
Q. But, are Congress men serious in their efforts to stage a comeback? What are you doing to ensure they are united?A. A lot of effort is being made to see that Congress members are united. If the party is united, it will always be undefeated. I am soon going to take up an exercise to invite important party leaders, constituency-wise, before the local body polls.
Whenever local body polls are held, everywhere you will see a positive campaign by the Congress on all the schemes and programmes we have launched. After conclusion of local body polls, you will find a strong Congress contingent everywhere to take on the Opposition. There will be clear-cut demarcation of political forces then.
Q. What about deficiencies like power shortage?A. Unfortunately, power is still a problem. There is a shortage of 50-60 million units per day. I hope that also will be solved by the end of this year with good rains and additional gas allocations for which I am trying my level best with the Centre.
Q. Opposition parties like the TD, YSRC and TRS are going all out this time, and Congress members have still not hit the roads.A. Let them do whatever they want. People won’t believe the Opposition. They look at us for better performance; when we perform better, where is the question of their looking at Opposition parties? I started touring the state widely. I know the people’s pulse. They are happy with the government’s performance.
Q. What other schemes are in store? Will you announce unemployment allowance to attract younger voters?
A. It is a continuous process. We go to the people and get their opinion on all schemes and their implementation. We will rectify the mistakes during implementation and modify the scheme to suit people’s needs. It is not my nature to announce schemes unless I do some exercise with those concerned. I cannot tell you about new schemes now, but definitely they will be there.
I may consider the unemployment allowance issue later. But I am more concerned about creation of employment for youth. I have done the most on this front. In the last two years 1,23,000 government jobs have been filled. More than 50 lakh eligible youth have appeared for different recruitment examinations all over the state. I could provide employment to three lakh youth under Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu. The rate of recruitment of private jobs has gone up to 1,500 per day now from 1,000 in the initial days. Another 65,000 jobs will be created.
Q. You often call Chandrababu Naidu your “walking friend”. He is confident this time that the TD will return to power. He is sure that his promises to all sections of society will bring him back to power.A. I do not want to comment on his confidence. Before people cast their vote they definitely look at the leader’s credibility. He (Naidu) only makes promises, but we are implementing all the schemes that benefit people. Leaders should mind that people are not carried away by promises; they also look at the credibility of the leader who makes those promises.
Q. What about the influence of YSRC?in Seeman-dhra region and TRS’ impact in Telangana?A. Let me not comment on them. Ultimately, the Congress is going to win. There is a total turnaround in the state towards the Congress. As far as the Telangana issue goes, I have been saying that nothing is in my hands. The decision is not in the state government’s domain. Let the Congress High command and Centre take a decision and we will abide by that.
Q. What about removing the two ministers Dhar-mana Prasad Rao and Sabita Indra Reddy who have been chargesheeted by CBI?A. We will take a decision after going into all details of the cases. The cases are in the courts. Let us see what happens. I don’t want to make any comment or express my views on it.
Q. What about Brand Hyderabad? How are you going to make the capital free from disturbances?
A. The city’s people have realised my capacity in keeping the city free from all disturbances for the last few months. Many international events have happened here. Whatever major conference or convention comes to the country is being held in Hyderabad. There is increase in foreign and domestic visitors to the city. In the next one year, I will see that Krishna Phase-3 of getting 5.5 TMC ft of Krishna waters and 10 TMC ft of Godavari water project will be launched. I can say life in Hyderabad has come back to normal now. All Metro works, Outer Ring Road, connecting roads, are going at a good pace.
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