RISE OF REGIONAL PARTIES IN 1980(TSPSC)

                         In the year 1983, N.T. Rama Rao formed the Telugu Desam Party just six months before the elections. N.T. Rama Rao, a leading figure in the Telugu film world, announced in May 1982 the creation of a regional party called Telugu Desam.Within a few weeks of its formation, the Telugu Desam became so popular that it created uneasiness among the members of the Congress Party. The Congress high command replaced Bhavanam Venkata Reddy with K. Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy in October 1982 because B. Venkata Reddy was considered as a weak candidate to face Telugu Desam. Infact, Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy was the fourth Chief Minister in four years. 

                        The dissatisfaction of the people with the long rule of Congress, increase in unemployment, poverty, corruption, neglect of weaker sections, imposition and frequent changes of Chief Ministers, lack of respect for the Andhras .and the Telugu Desam in ·its election campaign are the reasons for the defeat of the Congress. In fact, N.T. Rama Rao's charisma as a film hero, his own caste's support in a different form and people's dissatisfaction with Congress rule played major role in defeating the Congress. Telugu Desam Party had been in power from 1983 to 1989 except for a month in 1984, when Nadendla Bhaskara Rao brought about a split in the party and became the Chief Minister. 

                     N.T. Rama Rao dissolved the Assembly in December 1984 and in the elections held in March 1985, the party won by a majority. Subsequently, the party lost its majority in the 1989 elections. In fact, in the elections to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative  Assembly held on 5 January, 1983 -he Telugu Desam Party won a landslide victory securing 199 seats in a house of 294. The Congress secured only 60 seats. The assembly elections of 51 h March 1985 proved that Rama Rao continued to command the mass backing of the Andhra electorate. Out of the 294 seats in the Assembly, the Telugu Desam Party won 202 seats, its allies 41 seats, and the Congress 49 seats.

              During this period, Rama Rao gave more importance to populist policies to consolidate his position. He also used accommodative politics. He accommodated leaders of different groups and interests of these groups. He accommodated those groups who were neglected by the Congress government. He accommodated backward castes to strengthen his social base and also accommodated minorities and Madigas among SCs. The major policies introduced by the Telugu Desam government are as follows: 

         a) It introduced the programme to supply rice at Rs. 2/- to weaker sections; 

         b) Sale of sarees and dhoties to green card holders at 50 percent rate; 

         c) Free treatment to green card holders in government hospitals;  

         d) Construction of lakhs of houses for weaker sections at nominal rates; 

         e) Abolition of capitation fees in professional colleges; 

         f) Providing pension to widows; 

         g) Protection of the rights of minorities and expansion of educational facilities to the people; 

         h) It established two universities, one for women and another for the presentation of the Telugu language and culture;

    i) The government abolished panchayat samitis and created 1104 mandals to bring the administration nearer to the people; and 

          j) Free mid-day meal at the primary school level. 

He also introduced some other policies which created a controversy and he also lost some social base due to these policies. They are as follows: 

a) He reduced the retirement age of the government employees from 58 to 55 years; 

b) He further irritated the bureaucracy by indiscriminately suspending some senior I.A.S. officers on charges of corruption. 

c) He had alienated another important section of the public, namely village officers Hke Karanam and Munisiff by abolishing their hereditary positions; 

d) The legislative council was abolished on 9th March 1985; 

e) He also abolished hereditary archakas {priests) in temples, posts of Asthana vidwans and fine arts academies; and 

f) He also introduced reservation policy and abolished evening colleges. 

Telugu Desam Party lost election in November 1989 to the Congress Party. The Congress got 180 seats out of 294 seats and Telugu Desam got 74 only. Congress MLA V. Mohan Ranga Rao was assasinated in December 1988 which was followed by unprecedented violence, arson, looting in Coastal Andhra. This incident was the starting point for the downfall of N.T. Rama Rao's government. N.T. Rama Rao dismissed the entire ·cabinet due to leakage of budget proposals. This action created a lot of dissidence within Telugu Desam Party. Due to some unpopular policies and other decisions Telugu Desam was defeated. 

But poor people were with N.T.R. only. Middle class people were unhappy with N.T.R. policies and therefore they defeated his party. Congress came to power in December 1989 under the leadership of M. Channa Reddy and Congress ruled the state till December 1994. The major debate during this period among people, politicians, bureaucrats and intellectuals was between populist welfare measures and market economic reforms. The government introduced market economic reforms in Andhra as a part of ongoing economic reforms in India since 1991. 

But Congress went to the people for votes in 1994 on the basis of populist measures rather than on the basis of economic reforms. It hardly mentioned about economic reforms in its manifesto. The second important aspect in Andhra Pradesh during this period was Anti-Arrack movement by women especially poor women. This was manipulated by Telugu Desam Party for its own election campaign. This was the major issue in the election of 1994. Again factionalisin dominated the politics. within the ruling party which led to change of Chief Ministers. The Congress adopted both populism and accommodative politics for its survival. The Congress was defeated in December 1994 assembly election. Telugu Desam won 219 seats out of 294 and Congress got 26 seats only.withdrawal of welfare measures, Anti-Arrack movement, economic reforms, factionalism, etc., are responsible for Congress party defeat. Infact, Telugu Desam's manifesto- prohibition of liquour, Rs. 2 kg rice, etc., - also contributed to the success of Telugu Desam in elections. The major policies, introduced by the Congress Government during 1989-1994 are as follows: 

a) The government introduced economic reforms (liberalisation) in August 1991; 

b) The government launched special schemes to attract investment from abroad especially from NRIs 

c) It announced strong support for private investment in sugar industry; 

d) It launched an Export Processing Zone at Visakhapatnam; 

e) It established a Software Technology Park in Hyderabad in order to promote industries in high-technology areas. Infact, Hi-Tech City was started by the Congress government only; 

f) It took loans from the World Bank for the Cyclone Reconstruction Project-1990 and AP Irrigation- II project; g) It also took loans from the ADB for laying roads; 

h) It initiated reforms in power sector by allowing private sector participation in power sector; 

i) Two gas-based power projects at Kakinada and Jegurupadu were entrusted to private sector for establishing 200 mw power stations; 

j) It planned for 2 coal-based power plants at Visakhapatnam and Krishnapatnam (Nellore district); 

k) It also planned restructuring of APSEB; 

L) Foreign funding in Andhra Pradesh also increased several fold during the Congress regime; 

m) The Congress government raised the issue price of subsidised rice supplied through the PDS toRs. 3.50 a kg; 

n) It reduced the number of ration cards; 

o) Construction of houses for poor people also came down; and 

p) It could not prohibit liquor inspite of big movement by women. 

It shows that it was the Congress government which initiated economic reforms and took number of initiatives in that process but it did not identify itself with economic reforms even during the election time because of protests from the organisations are emerging now to capture political power. That is why people are identifying N. Chandrababu Naidu with his caste. 

The actual fight is among dominant castes for political power and also within same dominant caste for political power. The fight is not between dominant castes and lower castes. For example, fight is between Reddis and Kammas and .fight is within the Reddy caste or within Kamma caste or within Kapu caste. Generally, after independence the Congress has been associated with Reddis or it has been dominated by Reddis. It has been under the control of Reddis leadership. To control Reddis' political power, the Kammas which is another dominant caste, joined communist party (not all Kammas) which was very strong and a second largest party in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Generally, opposition was not strong enough till Telugu Desam Party came to power in Andhra Pradesh and Kammas were unable to give strong fight to the Reddis in Telangana and Rayalaseema areas. Factionalism or groupism within the ruling party especially within Reddy community was common because opposition was not strong enough and Kammas were not strong enough in Telangana and Rayalaseema areas. Kammas became more stronger in the 1970s and 1980s and they invested their agricultural surplus into industry and servic.e sector. They became entrepreneurial class. When N.T. Rama Rao who belongs to Kamma caste, formed Telugu Desam Party in 1982, the Kammas got golden opportunity to assert themselves and to counter the Congress which was dominated by Reddis. That is why Kammas provided all kinds of support to Telugu Desam Party in the 1983 elections. Finally, Telugu Desam captured the power· in the state in 1983. In 1980s, the fight between Kammas and Reddis for political power was an open secret though N.T. Rama Rao identified himself with poor people. In the 1990s, both Reddis (Congress) and Kammas (Telugu Desam) competed with each other to get political power and both were able to rule the state alternatively. Here is hardly Karim Nagar, Kammam, and North Coastal district ofVisakhapatnam.They are called in Telangana area as Doras. The Rajus represent the Kshatriya caste. Their presence is in Godavari and Vizianagaram districts of Coastal area only. Though they are numerically small, they are politically and economically very strong. The Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh have been politically and economically very strong. The Brahimins in Andhra Pradesh have been a political force for ages. Infact, the national movement political leadership in Andhra and Hyderabad was largely dominated by the Brahmin intellectuals.  At the time of independence, their domination was confined to administration (bureaucracy), which is continuing still. The backward castes are numerically large in whole Andhra Pradesh. Because of their numerical strength, they have been accommodated by dominant caste for their political· survival. Now they are assertive to get political power because their interests and wishes are not represented properly. The SCs are 14.87 percent of Andhra Pradesh.  

The major division among SCs is Madigas and Malas. Some of the SCs got benefited from the reservation policy and accommodation politics.These sections are very assertive politically. Dominant castes have been worried about the SCs for their political survival because of their numerical strength. They are assertive now because their interests and wishes are not really represented and programmes meant for them are not implemented properly. 

The Madigas in terms of caste hierarchy are the lowest, and are mainly concentrated in the Telangana region. Malas are found in Coastal Andhra. The tribals are found in every region by different names. Though they are not the lowest socially, they are very poor economically. They constitute around eight percent of Andhra Pradesh. Very few of the STs are accommodated politically in Andhra politics