CB Naidu and RS Reddy

This was the latest circular pasted on the notice board of my apartment - "We are unable to provide 24 hr running water since we don't have enough water underground. This is because we did not have enough rains on time and also because we do not have any water-harvesting infrastructure in the complex. We request residents of Srila Towers experienced in water-harvesting techniques to help us design a good water-harvesting system. This project would be started immediately so that we ensure better underground water at least by next summer'.

When Chandrababu Naidu, CB Naidu as he's better known in international circles, was talking about the so called water-harvesting and pushed HUDA to set up regulations to make this compulsory in every structure raising on Hyderabad soil, there was a hue and cry. Now, after CB Naidu was bundled out of the CM's office, people realize the importance of his words.

Technology is not something that caters only to the high-strata of society. The cause of Science and Technology is to make life easier and more enjoyable. Naidu tried to use Information Technology in trying to make varied information accessible to general public, but people were not ready for it. His was a long term plan, which, when allowed to progress the way it has been, would have made life easier for everyone in the State and would also help Naidu increase his personal bank balance ten-fold.

Well, for all those who say, "Naidu was a corrupt politician", please also go on to say if Rajasekhara Reddy is any better. If Naidu is good at making PowerPoint presentations, Reddy is good at shedding tears without glycerin. Maybe he took special training from old NTR, we never know. One of Reddy's statements when in power was that "Naidu is a puppet in the hands of the World Bank". World Bank has been so generous to have funded several projects in AP and has the right to make suggestions and to take actions whenever deemed necessary - whenever it feels that the fund is not being invested the way they would want it to be. And when a suggestion made is cogent and convincing, a wise man always values the suggestion and implements it. Newspapers today reported a statement from Manmohan Singh about Naidu "Naidu has done a good job in some areas and he will always be remembered for that". Please let me know if I am missing something here.

Politicians in India have always been corrupt and upliftment of self will always be prioritized over upliftment of the poor. As a general statement, I support the idea of prioritizing your own development before thinking about developing others. But politicians exploit their position to expedite their development at the expense of other unfortunate sections of society and I don’t think there is any one living, who can provide a solution to resolve this.

I feel that if Reddy is given a chance to enjoy a full term at office, which looks inevitable, he will rollback everything done by Naidu and leave AP the way it was 10 years ago - struggling with extreme financial debt and lack of development. And please do not give me President Abdul Kalam's fascinating speeches. He is doing his job - giving a speech and I am doing mine - writing a blog.