The year 2024 started off on an interesting, anticipatory and hopeful note for the people of Andhra Pradesh. Ordinary citizens as well as people with financial and political clout are looking forward to a meaningful change on the political front and on a socio-religious front.
On the socio-religious front, it was heartening for Hindus to hear about the success of a three-day Hindu religious conclave held at the temple town of Tirupati, organized by the TTD trust (Tirupati Tirumala Devastanam). Heads of various Hindu sects and revered seers/ gurus from across multiple religious foundations rooted in the Indic-Hindu tradition, came together to discuss the social and religious issues faced by the nation’s Hindu majority, across the country.
Discussions involved the issues faced by Hindus in a “secular” environment, aimed at appeasing Christianity and Islam as well as the possible resolutions for such issues.
Discussions and resolutions covered a vast range of issues – aggressive conversion tactics employed by certain religions, the depletion of the socio-spiritual traditions in the country, spreading awareness of the core concepts of Hinduism specifically among the lower-disadvantaged castes and tribal communities, propagation of Hindu values and encouraging the youth of the community to follow both the religious and cultural aspects, an agreement of the ways in which people can be better educated about Hinduism, the different ways in which people from all walks-of-life can be welcomed back to the Bharatiya Hindu tradition in cases of re-conversion or voluntary conversions from other religions, the need for formal training in both core concepts and rituals of the faith as well as a sincere appeal to end caste discrimination on account of which, the Abrahamic religions of Islam and Christianity are able to encourage religious conversions en masse.
The conclave which brought together, learned scholars and influential spiritual leaders from across the various Hindu sects was considered a success and seen as a blessing of Tirupati’s Lord Venkateshwara.
On the political front, the BJP and the TDP (Telugu Desam Party) have been in talks about a formal alliance in time for the 2024 state and central elections, scheduled to be held most likely in April. While rumours have been afloat for a few months now, it is only recently that both parties had started releasing official statements referring to a possible electoral alliance. The BJP is in an enviable position in A.P as all parties want to have favorable relations with it. It’s most likely a positive political scenario for the BJP regardless of which party comes to power in 2024. A majority of recent surveys show the TDP in the lead, as people’s support for TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu and its junior partner, Pawan Kalyan’s JSP (Jana Sena Party) is clearly evident in both survey results as well as well-attended political rallies of the TDP.
On the other end of the political spectrum, the people of Andhra continue to be amused by the tactics of Jagan Reddy and his YSRCP party, a desperate attempt to salvage the reputation of a CM and party, that brought Andhra’s progress to a halt and bankrupted the state.
Reddy and his party have been making periodic statements of his self-proclaimed popularity and “fake” pre-poll survey results, showing him in favourable light, which is in stark contrast to the ground reality of the party’s declining popularity. All other national and state surveys except for the ones his party claims to conduct, put Jagan on the back foot, trailing behind the TDP party.
Reddy’s desperate, last-minute offers for the lower classes include impractical sops such as an IB (international board) curriculum and examinations, across all A.P government schools….at a time when he is unable to maintain current state-syllabus schools and pay teachers’ salaries!! The people joke about the chief minister’s fondness for announcing all sorts of special “schemes” with his signature-style “press of a button”… none of which, come to fruition.
Jagan also released the second part of his political biopic named, Yatra 2, just in time for A.P’s upcoming elections (most likely, April). The film received a lukewarm response and did not meet expectations, despite the hype created by Jagan and the YSRCP party.
With the rising popularity of Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP party on the one hand and Jagan’s own sister, Y S Sharmila, joining hands with the Congress party on the other. Jagan Reddy’s prospects for the upcoming state and central elections in A.P, do not look good for him or his party.
Shivani is a freelance writer.
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