Naidu bounces back

With focus on reform and good governance

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has been maintaining a low profile ever since he has come under political pressure within his home state, in part from the Separate Telangana agitators, in part from self-proclaimed Maoists and in part from opposition political parties. During 2001, Mr Naidu invited criticism from the pro-reform minded commentators for some of his populist views on fiscal policy and from the anti-reformists for starvation deaths in the state. Just as it was beginning to seem that Mr Naidu was losing his grip on his home state and his touch in politics, he has bounced back with a slew of initiatives, ranging from a renewed political dialogue with Naxalites to privatising state-owned enterprises. Mr Naidu also launched a Centre for Good Governance, set up with financial and technical support from Britain’s Department for International Development, and inaugurated last week by British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The announcement pertaining to disinvestment in 68 public enterprises and the off-loading of government shares in nine listed companies is welcome and should offer some fiscal relief to a cash-strapped government. While the disinvestment programme will be appreciated by the reform-minded, it is the initiatives of the Centre for Good Governance which will likely have an impact on popular psyche and here, Mr Naidu has to retrieve lost political ground.

Last fortnight Mr Naidu also invited leaders of the People’s War Group, who have been staging a series of terrorist attacks in the state, for political talks. The decision to open a political dialogue with the PWG is well advised. Mr Naidu has been ill-advised for a long time by the state’s police officers in preferring to use counter force to battle Naxalism. While the law and order machinery must do its job in dealing with terrorism, the leadership must also open a political dialogue with these groups which claim localised popular support. Mr Naidu must open an even more sympathetic dialogue with the advocates of Telangana. The break up of Andhra Pradesh is no solution to Telangana’s problem of backwardness. Equally, Telangana’s grievances are genuine and must be addressed as such instead of adopting an ostrich-like attitude which some of Mr Naidu’s advisors wrongly prefer. Bold initiatives to win over public sentiment in backward districts can enable Mr Naidu to pursue more tough-minded economic and fiscal reform.