Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Bugana Rajendranath is a key member of the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy cabinet. For the past five years, the Opposition has relentlessly attacked the Jagan government, accusing it of mismanaging the state's finances and leading the state into a debt trap.In an interview with DHSNV Sudhir, under the scorching sun during a short break from campaigning in his hometown Besamchera village in Kurnool district, was psyched over TDP leader N. Chandrababu Naidu's landslide victory over the TDP-led NDA alliance. He said he was fighting a war. Rajendranath is contesting from the Dawn Assembly segment, where he is the incumbent MLA.
What do you think about the TDP leaders' claim that the alliance will be a landslide victory for them?
YSRCP is showing very good response in the upcoming elections. As usual, TDP is very good at playing this mind game. This is part of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu's strategy. He has a powerful media on his side. Therefore, he always tries to play mind games, but it is usually the same mind games that get them accepted. It turns out that you should always stay close to the truth and facts. You try to play mind games too much. So basically he started this mind game out of fear that his party might be destroyed between 2019 and 2024. So he started this massive propaganda about all the falsehoods about the state, the welfare system, the state finances, etc. All of that is false.
But sometimes too much of that deception happens because once you start getting that comfortable feeling, you feel like you're already there. Then it will fall on the other side. So despite all this, in the end the truth will prevail. And the facts are true. Therefore, YSRCP will return to power with a majority. YSRCP has a very strong base among the poor and needy sections of the society and covers a larger number of people. YSRCP has a very strong base in rural areas. Had it not been for the false propaganda and strong propaganda of the TDP and associated media, our party would have had a very good base in the urban areas as well.
As Minister of Finance, what do you think about the manifesto or Super 6 concept announced by TDP? Opposition parties have long accused the YSRCP government of pushing the state into a debt trap.
This is a very clear indication that N Chandrababu Naidu does not have a fixed vision, ideas or opinions. He has no understanding of socio-economic issues other than simply being back in power or in power. Everything he says is taken into consideration. This was a standard part of his life. Now he's commenting on volunteers and making some scathing comments. He promised volunteers more than the honorarium currently being given.
So what do you say about him now? Similarly, he said that all welfare schemes under Jagan Mohan Reddy will be repackaged for the same to increase the benefits given to the general public. So, this is another huge U-turn. As a result, he was of the opinion that the welfare system was a burden on the Ministry of Finance, eating up funds that could be used for infrastructure development.
Now it is believed that he and the construction of infrastructure is his vision. probably. So now he has increased spending and promised nearly the same welfare system. Therefore, if Ammawadi were to be given the same welfare system, she would receive increased benefits for her family, regardless of the number of children in school. Basically, this is to motivate mothers to send their children to school. This gentleman has now said he is going to increase it and extend it to all the children who attend the school. So what do you think about this? He then felt that various other welfare schemes, such as old-age pensions, were not sufficient for the children, again placing the burden on the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He now proposes increasing it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his election speech in Andhra Pradesh, said the YSRCP government does not know financial management. He also said that land and liquor mafias were ruling Andhra. What do you think about it?
So, does the Prime Minister support the TDP manifesto? For one thing, if he supports the manifesto, this is not a statement that will get across. Because his manifesto was part of the alliance. Are you talking about Naidu's manifesto? In fact, if the Prime Minister is really concerned about what the “Levadis” say, what do you think about this? So wasn't he the one who made scathing statements about Naidu's corruption in 2019?
No, wasn't it the same person? So is Naidu a changed man, and has anyone proven that he is? Is there any certificate to show that Naidu has changed? Or rather, it doesn't make any sense since there is no land mafia. Look, it is the same TDP that says land prices are not increasing. Where are the mafia problems when the price of land is not increasing?
About the liquor mafia. The government runs the alcohol business. We can also see that sales of alcoholic beverages have increased year-on-year. So if alcohol sales are increasing every year and the government is doing the selling, where is the problem of fraud? I'm having trouble understanding what that is.
The YSRCP at the national level has extended support to most of the bills introduced in Parliament by the NDA. But five years later, the Bharatiya Janata Party has allied itself with the TDP, party leaders like Amit Shah and Narendra Modi have visited Andhra, and now they have started badmouthing the government. How do you see it?
I would like to compare this with the life of famous Hollywood actress Elizabeth Taylor. She was married seven times in her life. And coincidentally, she married the same person, Richard Burton, twice out of seven. Same person twice out of 7 times.
If you look at Naidu's political career, he has allied with the BJP, Congress, CPI, CPM, TRS and with everyone not once but more than once. More than once. And although he is single, he is in alliance with all kinds of people. Even while he is making alliances, we see him negotiating with someone. So when I look at Naidu's political career, I am reminded of Elizabeth Taylor's life. Perhaps Elizabeth Taylor's life would have been more pious, because she probably would have met someone after her divorce.
Meanwhile, Naidu meets everyone while joining the alliance. Even without Naidu, perhaps he is doing this in his opportunistic attempt, but I cannot understand how the national party has fallen into this and am perplexed. I don't know why a party like the BJP, which talks about ethics and high moral grounds, falls into this.
issued May 13, 2024, 02:52 IST
