Naidu’s Value Politics Arrives With a Social-Media Strategy

N. Chandrababu Naidu says he is committed to “value-based politics”. He says vengeance takes a minute, while patience and democratic restraint take the statesman’s preferred route. This is a useful philosophy to announce while revisiting his 53 days in prison, the previous government’s alleged vendetta and the cases he says were later rejected. Restraint, in Andhra Pradesh, apparently includes keeping the old grievance file laminated and ready for every speech.

The timing is exquisite. Andhra Pradesh is facing a 54 per cent rainfall deficit. Reservoir storage has fallen from 737 TMC last year to 530 TMC this year. In Prakasam, cultivation is reportedly at 12 per cent of normal; Polavaram is at 20 per cent and Markapuram at 21 per cent. The government’s response is necessarily serious: water management, drought preparedness and relief. The party’s response, meanwhile, includes countering “false claims”, promoting achievements on social media, using the My TDP app, maintaining “team spirit” and winning every local-body seat available.

This is not merely governance. It is governance with a campaign dashboard. Naidu cited 616 sanctioned works worth ₹20,400 crore across 175 constituencies, because every public project now arrives with its own electoral visiting card. The drought gets a management plan, a publicity plan and a seat-by-seat mobilisation plan. The citizen gets the privilege of watching all three being described as development.

Government employees and pensioners have also been asked to wait after assurances on a Pay Revision Commission, two instalments of dearness allowance, restoration of additional pension and surrender leave. Interim Relief was not announced. Arrears remained unclear. Their association said 30 major demands still needed attention. The agitation was deferred, which is the administrative phrase for placing a problem in the waiting room and hoping the furniture wins.

From Telangana, the spectacle is familiar: Andhra’s political establishment turns administration into a morality play, then asks ordinary people to applaud the production. A rainfall deficit is measurable. A reservoir deficit is measurable. The value deficit is being marketed. keksoz

The government has a communications plan for the drought and a drought for the payslip.