The government’s good work speaks for itself, and so winning all the 175 Assembly seats in the ensuing elections is realistically possible for the YSRC, asserted Minister for Education Botcha Satyanarayana. In an interview with S Guru Srikanth and Harshita Nagpal, he dismissed Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena as a celebrity party with no agenda. Exuding confidence in retaining power in 2024, he said the accusations of the BJP and the electoral alliances are not a concern for the YSRC. Excerpts:
Will Pawan Kalyan’s Varahi Yatra impact YSRC’s poll prospects?
Pawan is not a politician. He is a celebrity. Political parties should have an agenda. Politicians should know why they have started a party and what they want to achieve with it. If they have such a thought, if not today, tomorrow, they will succeed. Our leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, too, joined politics with an aim to fulfil his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s aspirations. After YSR’s tragic demise, several of his objectives for the uplift of weaker sections remained unfulfilled. Jagan floated the YSRC to fulfil those aspirations and to stand by the common man. On the other hand, Pawan keeps reiterating that he wants to defeat the YSRC. But what next? What is his policy?
The purpose of Varahi Yatra seems to be preventing a split in Kapu vote? What do you think about it?
Kapu sentiment came to the fore when Pawan’s brother Chiranjeevi entered politics. Before that, it was not the case. Any MLA or political party for that matter, cannot win elections with the support of one particular community or religion. Acceptance by all sections, castes, communities, and religions is needed. Focusing on a particular caste or community or section will not yield any results in politics. Would it not antagonise others? I belong to the Kapu community. Would I have become an MLA and reached today’s position with only Kapu vote? No. It was because I have the support of people from all castes, communities, and sections of society. Support from Kapus may be more.
Is Kapu vote bank a decisive factor in Godavari districts?
No. Not just Kapus, SCs, and BC votes are also decisive factors. Perhaps Kapu votes may be 2-3% more.
During his recent visit to Vizag, Amit Shah made caustic remarks against the Jagan government and accused it of renaming Central schemes to get mileage. What is your answer?
It was surprising to see that a politician of Amit Shah’s stature made such remarks against the State. The Union Home Minister parroted the allegations that the TDP and a section of media have been making against the ruling YSRC over the past few months in an attempt to tarnish the image of the Jagan government. Nothing new. If he would have drawn a comparison on how the State was doing when other parties were incharge, it would have been a different matter. There is no need to pay attention to such comments.
Jana Sena is already an ally of the BJP. Now, it seems like they may truck with the TDP as well. Will it impact YSRC’s prospects?
Anyone can ally with anyone. Unless people feel that our government has not done anything good for them, we are not worried. Our party is supported by the people. In my political career, spanning more than 25 years, I have never seen a Chief Minister who seeks public mandate on the basis of good work his government has done. Jagan is the only person in Indian politics, who is asking people to vote for him based on his performance and the benefits his government has provided to the public. Other leaders resort to making promises just before the elections. Even during Covid-19, our government ensured people received benefits. On the other hand, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is announcing sops in his manifesto in parts like it is a TV series instead of seeking public support on the basis of the work he did while serving as Chief Minister for 14 years.
The Centre claims that development in the State is not on par with the funds they have sanctioned. What is your reply?
These are mere accusations. They should provide data to compare how the State was developed previously to say that now there is no development. And why will they not give the funds? In a democracy and federal setup, the Centre has to give the State’s share of funds and tax devolution. Have they given us any special schemes and programmes? Even the Rs 10,000 crore we received recently, was the right of the State. In fact, we received the sum too late. Our government has ensured that people’s purchasing power is stable. The effective implementation of the welfare measures through DBT has negated the involvement of middlemen. As a result, the GSDP and per capita income of Andhra Pradesh is growing better in comparison to other States.
There have been reports about dissidence within the YSRC. Is it true?
There is no dissidence in the party. It is a course correction measure. We do not change our words as per our convenience.
Recently, the State government set up a working group on educational reforms. What is the objective?
The objective is to help the students of Andhra Pradesh become global citizens. Our national language or mother tongue may not work abroad, hence English language is needed. Some people are making an issue out of it. In the larger interests of the students, decisions are being taken on several issues, including on English medium in government schools. So, we roped in experts to ensure the foundation of students is firm for bright career prospects.
What is the status of works taken up under Nadu-Nedu?
Works under the first phase of Nadu-Nedu have been completed in 15,000 government schools in the State. Under the second phase, works are in progress in 8,000 schools and will be completed soon.
The government plans to instal interactive flat panels (IFPs) in every government school. What is the timeline for it?
For students of class 6 and above, all classrooms will have IFPs. They will be installed in 61,000 classrooms in a phased manner. Already 30,000 classrooms have interactive panels. The project will be completed before our Chief Minister’s birthday on December 21. Teachers are being trained to use the digital panels with the help of engineering colleges.
What is the status of the implementation of English medium and CBSE syllabus in government schools?
English is the medium of instruction in government schools. We have also introduced bilingual textbooks to that effect. CBSE syllabus will be implemented in 1,000 schools from this academic year for students of Class 8 and above. We had sought permission for 2,000 schools. More schools will be given permission in due course. It will be done in a phased manner. There are over 6,000 high schools in the State. CBSE has also sought land allotment in the State to establish its regional office.
Is the government working on any mechanism to prevent student suicides?
This is a problem that is not just confined to our State. Children sometimes get emotional and take the extreme step. We have been trying to create an awareness on the opportunities to clear the examinations. We are taking measures, including counselling, to prevent student suicides.
Is ‘Mission 175’ achievable?
We have done the best for the people, governance-wise. So our aim is to win all the Assembly seats in the State. And we are confident that we will win all the seats in 2024.
(Full interview on TNIE videos)