Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states have been battered by heavy rains and relief measures are going on in affected areas on a war footing. Both AP CM Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy have been addressing rain related issues on a high priority basis. But as usually, politics are being done on the natural calamity, creating head ache for Telangana CM.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao criticised Telangana CM saying while Chandrababu Government managed to get 6 helicopters and 150 boats for rescue operations in flood affected areas, Telangana CM has failed to push into service not even one.
Besides criticizing Telangana CM, what KTR obviously made was Revanth Reddy’s comparison with AP CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu.
With both the states witnessing similar conditions, comparisons are bound to happen between the performance of CMs. This is creating competition for Revanth Reddy from quite unexpected quarters.
AP CM Chandrababu Naidu has demonstrated his leadership skills and administration capabilities by immediately addressing the floods in Vijayawada. If we keep politics aside, he has even won appreciation from across sections for being in the middle of flood affected areas and personally monitoring rescue and relief operations for the past three days. The appreciation only increases keeping in view the age of Chandrababu Naidu.
On the other side Telangana CM limited himself to reviewing the situation on day one and directed officials to take swift action. Though he displayed his seriousness on the issue, by canceling leaves for government staff, did not visit the rain affected areas immediately.
It is true that severity of heavy rain and floods is more in AP than Telangana, necessitating immediate attention from AP Government. Moreover media showing visuals of AP CM traveling in boats in flood affected areas and interacting with people in the midnight, presented him as a concerned and hardworking leader.
In stark contrast, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy visited rain affected areas only a day later. Moreover visuals from his rain-hit areas tour appeared like any other political visit, rather than like one attending to a calamity.
Taking into consideration all these factors, AP CM Chandrababu Naidu has clearly got more marks than Telangana CM in handling heavy rains. May be, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy still has lessons to learn from his past boss Chandrababu Naidu.
Dnr