Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s priorities and preoccupations do not make him popular in his state, a recent study has shown.
Mostly, corruption in public departments has been the TDP government’s undoing, and by extension that of Naidu’s inability to counter the tag. Despite the declaration of his assets regularly, the Naidu government is not looked at any differently than other corruption-ridden regimes or leaderships in the eye of the public. The state’s revenue department continues to be viewed in particular as corrupt, followed by police, as ever before. Education and health services are not far behind.
This is the summary of a study conducted by the Centre for Media studies (CMS). CMS, a New Delhi-based research organization, has been conducting studies and surveys for about two-and-a-half decades. They conducted this particular study in AP to gauge the TDP government’s performance on the completion of two years by the successor state after the bifurcation in 2014.
A significant percentage of farmers continue to be restless or disappointed with government policies. A significant percentage think that not everything the government is going about is being revealed to the public
According to Dr N Bhaskar Rao, director of CMS and the person who monitored the survey, there is no indication that Naidu has consolidated his political credence in the State commensurate with his never-ending tours across the state.
"The scene in AP today is both confusing and contradictory," he said, releasing the report today. The study has been conducted in ten districts spread across three regions and is reflective of demographics of AP with a proportionate-to-population sample.
Though the people of AP do not doubt the CM’s sincerity, his priorities and preoccupations are not as much appreciated by 50% of the people interviewed for the survey.
"A significant percentage of farmers continue to be restless or disappointed with government policies. A significant percentage think that not everything the government is going about is being revealed to the public," the study said. One-third of the people are of the opinion that all districts are not being developed equally, a majority expect better "bhavishyat" (future) for the state.
On the political front, more than half of the respondents thought that TDP has not gained in its public standing during the two-year period it has been in power. But there is solace for Naidu in that Jagan's YSR Congress has not gained either, indicating of a vacuum in the political arena.
What is interesting is that the majority of the respondents from AP perceive that Telangana is doing better. Its TRS government’s performance is seen as more adoptive and inclusive.
"The efforts of Naidu in building the world-class capital Amaravati are appreciated. But people are not overwhelmed about the hype being created about the capital. People of the State are not sure of having a "better government" or a "more responsive and accessible Government" after Amaravati," the report said.