In the backdrop of Opposition leader Jaganmohan Reddy’s threat to sit on indefinite fast in Guntur for special status, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is embarking on a 15-day counter offensive from September 9 on YSRC’s campaign against the state government. The yatra is aimed at recovering the ground lost in political campaign.

In the past two months Naidu had been caught up in a mess of issues such as cash-for-vote, telephone tapping, Pushkara stampede etc. He had also been on the receiving end on other issues like partial implementation of loan waiver, special status etc. The political space remained wide open for opposition parties to attack Naidu on all counts.

While Congress roped in Rahul Gandhi to inaugurate their fight against TDP rule, YSRCP leader Jagan took up his campaign against the TDP government at full throttle. He organized dharnas, rallies, addressed public meetings. The opposition leader took his campaign to national capital New Delhi as well by staging a day-long dharna near Jantar Mantar. While fully participating in the bandh organized by Left parties, his party also had successfully organized a separate bandh in the state. And now Jagan has put the TDP government on notice asking the chief minister to get special status accorded to state in 15 days, or perish. Jagan warned that he would sit on fast unto death if no special status is achieved.

Jagan in a carefully calculated manner is building his political campaign around special status with a message that there would be no life without special status for Andhra Pradesh. According to YSRCP, for every ill, price-rise, unemployment, water, power, roads hospitals- the cure is special status because the expenditure of state development would be borne by the centre up to 90 per cent. By using central resources for creating infrastructure, Jagan argues, the state’s own resources could be used to the welfare programs. Theoretically it’s a an attractive proposition and politically a effective tool to hit the ruling party.

So, Naidu is compelled to launch a counter-offensive against the militancy of Jagan. The CM is planning to crisscross the state for fifteen days in the name interacting with farmers and women. By the time Jagan sits on indefinite fast in Guntur, Naidu will be in the thick of counter-campaign.
Chief minister will begin his yatra on September 9 and closes it on September 25. As per the program, he will meet small and marginal farmers to take feedback on his program and learn their problems. “Naidu will explain to the farmers and the women for reason for the delay in waiving their loans,” sources in CMO said. He will also explain them the financial difficulties of the state and how they are coming in the way of waiving farm loans right away.