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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP going slow on alternative economic policy?

K. Venkateshwarlu

HYDERABAD: For the Telugu Desam Party, the ‘alternative economic policy’ propounded by it was supposed to be an innovative ‘one shot two birds’ strategy of changing the party’s image as torch bearer of economic reforms that hurt the poor and move closer to the Left parties.

A little over a year since the party proposed the policy and constituted a committee to study it, no senior party leader has a clue about its progress. The same senior leaders, beginning with party president N. Chandrababu Naidu left no opportunity to speak passionately about the policy.

Surprising his critics, Mr. Naidu had been arguing that economic reforms had benefited the rich and not percolated down to the poor and that only an alternative policy could bring about a correction.

Taking a cue, other senior leaders followed suit and the then chairman of the committee T. Devender Goud had even spoken grandiosely that the party would consult Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen.

‘Hidden agenda’

As the ‘hidden agenda’ was also to move closer to Left parties, Mr. Naidu reportedly even briefed the top leadership of CPI (M) and CPI about the draft policy. This was because the economic reforms he had aggressively pursued as Chief Minister was turning out to be a stumbling block in their rapproachment.

The Left parties were insisting that they would not have anything to do with TDP as long as it did not change its economic policy.

Under study

Now, but for saying that the policy was ‘still under study and formulation’, nobody is prepared to throw light on it.

“It is not as if we have forgotten the policy. It is still under consideration and we will come up with one before the next Assembly elections. It is just that we have become busy with rapidly changing political situation,” said a senior leader.

Others trace the ‘go-slow’ on the policy, to Mr. Naidu’s ‘Mee Kosam’ yatra and the changed political equations. For one thing, the committee itself has become somewhat dysfunctional, with the chairman, Mr. Goud himself quitting the party.

There has been no replacement and no meeting of the committee for several months now. The other members are -- K. Yerran Naidu, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Ch. Rajeswara Rao and Kalva Srinivasulu.

Political crisis

Then, the political crisis at the Centre over the nuclear deal and its confidence vote in the Lok Sabha, the TDP leading the UNPA could build bridges with Left parties.

“We are now on even keel requiring each other’s support. I don’t think they will insist on this or that policy,” observed another leader, hinting that the drafting of alternative economic policy has indeed been put on the backburner, at least for now.

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