Dangerous drift

As expected,Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddys already done his bit to ensure that the Congresss decision to install a new leadership in Andhra Pradesh does not allow the new chief minister a completely clean new slate. The partys refusal to take a decisive view on Jagan Reddys provocations has already cost its state government the internal coherence of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddys tenure. In fact,the sense of drift thats continued a year after YSRs death is projecting on to that tenure a stronger glow of purposefulness,thereby increasing yet more a contrast for the new chief minister,Kiran Kumar Reddy,to somehow reverse. Crucially,with the Telangana committee to set to submit its report soon,the fear is that if the state administration does not find its centre of gravity fast enough,Andhra Pradesh could see another fraught season.

There may have been some intricate calculation of political mapping to allow Jagan Reddy the space to carve his rebellion,without taking action against him or co-opting him. But a test of good and effective politics is how it conveys purposefulness and responsiveness to those who may not be up with the minutiae of the issue. The Congress has not done that. And the new chief minister inherits not just a holding operation,but also an administration that cannot afford to postpone some economic decisions. YSR won great popular approval for his ambitious social spending. But that kind of reform requires sound economic governance. Kiran Kumar Reddy will have to hit the ground running for starters,on the microfinance mess.

No chief minister can do that if the impression is allowed to form that he is not in full command of his government and that decisions are being micro-managed from Delhi. There is too much jostling,too much fine balancing of communities,regions and interests,going on currently. The Congresss national leadership needs to be more visibly invested in responding to local politics through its state leaders,and not around them. With more than 30 MPs from Andhra in the Congresss Lok Sabha tally,the state is crucial for the stability of the UPA at the Centre. Therefore,the consequences of the party appearing to be at sixes and sevens extend beyond the state.