Corona ‘mahamarri’: No polls please
March 10: TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu raises concern over Covid-19, says holding local polls at a time when corona ‘mahamarri’ is spreading dangerously can be detrimental to public health
March 11: Ahead of civic body elections in Andhra Pradesh, violence turns its ugly head. TDP leaders Bonda Uma, Buddha Venkanna attacked allegedly by YSRCP leaders at Guntur. The attackers tried to stop the black Audi car in which the two TDP leaders were travelling and smashed the window panes of the car with sticks. In the incident, a lawyer was injured
AP first corona case
March 12: Andhra Pradesh reports first positive case of corona. A man who returned from Italy to Nellore tested positive for the virus. 73 positive cases in India
Telangana shuts
March 13-14: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrsekhara Rao foresees the threat, shuts schools, cinema halls, gyms, bans public gatherings. No restrictions on travel and local commuting
AP polls put off
March 15: State Election Commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar foresees the outbreak, puts off Panchayat and municipal elections citing corona virus situation in the country. Polls were scheduled on March 21 and 23.
Jagan meets Governor
March 15: Corona silently spreads in the state. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy meets Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan at the Raj Bhavan, calls SEC’s decision to postpone polls “arbitrary”. “We did not appoint Ramesh Kumar as SEC, it was Chandrababu Naidu who appointed his own caste man. But how can he act in such discriminate fashion,” asks Jagan
Virus from South Korea, Paracetamol will do: Jagan
March 15: A scare is being created, when there is no panic situation. Covid-19 can be harmful in cases of above 60 years people, with diabetes, blood pressure, asthma like conditions. This is a kind of virus that comes and goes. The virus inflicts those who are already sick and can cause harm to them. 80% of the people who are healthy are not affected by the disease – it comes and it goes. It may be cured by medication and that medication is paracetamol. Moreover, in China, those afflicted have been isolated into a stadium and treated. The virus is spreading from South Korea. In case anybody coming from foreign countries is found suffering from cough, cold and fever, bleaching powder should be sprayed on their belongings and things they use.
Virus spreads VERY VERY fast: Naidu
March 15: Coronavirus claims lives and it spreads VERY VERY fast. It cannot be taken lightly, especially by a man sitting on the CM’s chair. Shocked to see @ysjagan say that it can be treated with a Paracetamol, Naidu tweets @ncbn.
Only one case, no panic: CS
March 16: AP Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney writes to SEC, says polls should be held as per schedule. “State government has been taking all necessary steps to contain coronavirus,” she writes to SEC. Only one case reported in the state, that too the person has travel history to Italy. There is no local transmission. There may be no threat of the outbreak in alarming proportion in the next 2 to 4 weeks, she argues.
‘I am supreme’
March 16: Despite the early warnings from Naidu and SEC about the outbreak of corona virus, Jagan led AP government challenges SEC decision to put off polls, moves the Supreme Court
Virus for 1 year, polls 10 days only: Jagan
March 17: Postponing elections will not resolve the issue as we have to live with tackling the virus for at least one year. If the election process is over in 10 days, we could brace for any eventuality. Funds from the Centre will not be released if elections are delayed as there is no assurance that it will be held by the next financial year. Is it necessary to lose Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 crore by postponing the elections, asks Jagan
Funds can stay, lives important: Naidu
March 17: The government can appeal to the centre that it has tried to conduct elections but the polls are postponed due to extraordinary circumstances and therefore the funds should be released, Chandrababu Naidu gives his piece of advice. Hospitals would be insufficient if Covid-19 spreads; villages would turn into quarantines. CM has no
right to play with human lives. He is talking without understanding Covid-19 gravity
No polls: Supreme Court
March 18: The apex court upholds SEC decision to postpone elections, says election commission well within right to put off polls, affirmed that it can take decision when to conduct elections. As a matter of fact, SC heard most cases via video-conferencing, thermal screening of advocates were conducted at its premsises.
Ramesh Kumar writes letter to Union Home Secretary
March 18: Ramesh Kumar, who postponed the elections to local bodies, writes a five-page letter to Union Home Secretary. In the letter, Ramesh Kumar seeks police protection fearing threat to his life and that of his family members from the YSRCP dispensation. “There were about 35 incidents of prevention of nominations, 23 incidents of forceful withdrawals and 55 instances of violence targeting the principal opposition parties, mainly the Telugu Desam Party and the BJP-Janasena combine. The norms of peaceful and orderly conduct of elections were completely vitiated,” he wrote.
‘Letter fake’, AP govt orders probe
March 19: CM Jagan Mohan Reddy holds high-level meeting with DGP Gautam Sawang and other top police officials at Tadepalli office to discuss the contents of Ramesh Kumar letter, orders probe. Well, corona can wait. It is not a big threat. Don’t press panic button, not as yet.
AP shuts schools, bars open
March 19: Number of positive cases in India rose to 162. Around 184,976 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 7,529 deaths in 159 countries (WHO figures). AP government finally wakes up, orders closure of schools, malls, cinema halls and places of worship till March 31. By the way, bars and restaurants remain open with a rider that the owners were asked to maintain a distance of one metre between each table. Liquor money is important for state coffers, you see. Corona can wait.
Review meet on house pattas
March 20: Jagan holds a review meeting with higher officials, decides to distribute house sites to the poor on April 14, the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar. AP reported three corona cases. Jagan says ‘no panic, only precaution’. “In China, 81,000 people were treated at home, and only 13.8 per cent got hospitalised; of them, only 4.7 per cent were in the ICU,” Jagan said.
Janata Curfew
March 22: ‘Janata Curfew’ from 7 am to 9 pm. Prime minister Narendra Modi says people should stay indoors, maintaining social distancing only way to fight the pandemic
World in corona grip
March 23: Globally, more than 14,000 deaths reported, over 334,000 infected (WHO).
India lockdown
March 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces complete lockdown from midnight of March 24 for three weeks. Only essential services (grocery, vegetables, medical and pharmacies) were permitted. Work from home
Did corona wait in AP?
March 25: It did not. Corona, in fact, silently and gradually spread. AP reported two new confirmed Covid-19 cases. Total cases 10
Sees no prince, no pauper: Naidu
March 28: TDP 39th Formation Day. “Coronavirus spares neither the king nor the common man. Prince Charles too is afflicted by the disease. Everyone has to be vigilant and adhere to the government’s instructions, maintain social distance, minimise points of contact, and create awareness among all sections of society,” Naidu tells party cadre via teleconference.
AP tally 21 & counting
March 29: AP’s corona count rises to 21.India recorded over 1,000 novel coronavirus cases and 27 deaths due to Covid-19 infection.
AP tally 87
April 1: As many as 43 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Andhra Pradesh, taking the overall count to 87 in the state
Naidu writes to Jagan: Poor testing, increase labs
April 3: AP not testing enough, Naidu writes to CM. Testing needs to be ramped up, increase the number of labs for testing more samples so as to identify the coronavirus positive cases and segregate them from others. Utilize MedTech Zone in Vizag to manufacture corona testing kits, ventilators. Rumours that corona deaths in Kurnool, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry were being suppressed, writes Naidu
Doctor says no medical supplies, govt sacks him
April 8: Sudhakar Rao, an anesthetist at a 150-bedded hospital in Nasipatnam, cries there is shortage of medical equipment such as N95 masks, gloves, PPEs. As is won’t, govt calls the allegations baseless, removes the doctor
AP Proposes Ramesh Kumar removal
April 9: Amid the growing corona cases, the ruling YSRCP government sends an ordinance to Governor Bishwa Bhusan Harichandan to remove Ramesh Kumar as SEC, begins the process of to appoint a new commissioner.
Governor disposes, AP corona tally 348
April 10: Corona can wait. Don’t panic, not as yet? AP in grip of corona, but Governor approves ordinance amending AP Panchyat Raj Act, 1994. Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar tenure cut short from five years to three years. On the same day, while the state government was busy with Ordinance to remove Ramesh Kumar, AP corona tally rose to 348, four deaths were reported
Raju is new SEC
April 10: Corona can wait. Don’t panic, not as yet. AP appoints retired Madras HC judge Kanaga Raju as new state election commissioner. Kanaga Raju meets Governor in the evening, assumes charge as new SEC.
Raju says get ready for polls
April 11: While the world was caught in the grip of pandemic and worried over how to contain the spread of the virus, the new SEC asks his staff to be poll ready as the elections can be announced anytime after corona abates. The government was still in ‘corona can wait. Don’t panic, not as yet’mode.
Ramesh Kumar removal unconstitutional
April 12: TDP leaders including its boss Chandrababu Naidu, senior partymen Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and Devineni Uma gave their wisdom saying instead of focusing on corona the government was indulging in vendetta politics by removing SEC, doctors..
Corona 420
April 12: In all these days, Jagan was in ‘don’t press the panic’ button mode. In all these days, YSRCP leaders believed Covid-19 was a TDP hoax and that the virus was the evil creation of Naidu to postpone elections. Well, we don’t know who was the real ‘chaar sau beez’ (420 in English). The tally in AP rose to 420 with 4 deaths. There is panic situation everywhere. Indeed, there is shortage of medical supplies, perhaps not enough testing was being done to detect more cases
Jagan team chanted ‘All is well’: Corona 603 & counting
April 12-16: AP CM held daily press briefings on corona, which were more like propaganda sessions with his colleagues patting Jagan’s back. We are doing good, look at other states . “All is well, all is well.” But all wasn’t well. The Rayalaseema region was the most affected, Kurnool, Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa reported highest cases. The virus was affecting the frontline warriors too with no medical equipment such as PPEs, N95 masks and gloves, but the government claimed there were enough supplies. Instead of addressing shortage of medical supplies, the government brought medical services, doctors and medical staff under the draconian ESMA . Despite ESMA, doctors refused to work in Anantapur as medical staff contracted the virus. Meanwhile, YSRCP leaders were busy distributing central relief funds claiming that the cash was given by “Jagan anna”. Instead of overseeing relief works, meeting doctors and medical staff in hospital, YSRCP RS member Vijaysai Reddy was busy pouring vitriol in Twitter against political detractors, shooting off letters to DGP Gautam Sawang that Ramesh Kumar letter was a “forged and fake one”. The YSRCP government was busy fighting legal battles over the removal of party colours on government buildings or making English medium compulsory in government schools. The HC rapped the government on all the important decisions it had taken. But who cares? The government is hell-bent on challenging the HC verdicts in the Supreme Court.
Individuals and institutions do not matter. Voices of dissent are muzzled. Nagari Municipal commissioner was removed for his utterances that there was acute shortage of medical supplies as was Dr Sudhakar Rao. Ramesh Kumar in his letter to Union Home Secretary pointed out that “the norms of peaceful and orderly conduct of elections were completely vitiated. Those voices have struck a discordant note. Those voices were a telling commentary on the state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh. These voices are a clarion call to keep politics out of health. In all these days, Jagan seem to have squandered the most valuable resource in a pandemic: Time. When the time comes, Jagan will have to answer in the people’s court. Meanwhile, the number of cases crossed the 600-mark with 15 deaths.
