AP the best case study for political executive and administrators

The attention of the country is now on Andhra Pradesh which has a three-party alliance consisting of TDP, Jana Sena and BJP. The NDA alliance government in Andhra Pradesh has a series of challenges ahead of it which includes construction of Amaravati and completion of Polavaram project and reorganizing the administration.

Chandrababu Naidu has to establish that the alliance government has clear priorities and would not deviate from the promises it had made to the people and will not fall into the trap of self-styled intellectuals or the campaign which YSRCP would soon be taking up saying that TDP despite being in a position to claim its pound of flesh from centre was silent on special status.

While keeping itself aloof from such traps, the Andhra Pradesh government has the responsibility of streamlining the administration without showing vindictive attitude towards the All India Services officials though they have crossed the Laxman Rekha every time in the last five years which led to serious damage to the state in every respect including its brand image.

An example how Naidu has demonstrated his statesmanship quality in administration can be seen from the way he had given a chance to some senior most IAS officials to retire with grace. The then Chief Secretary Jawahar Reddy had been facing several allegations. Everyone had seen how he had even ignored the directions of Election Commission of India in payment of social welfare pensions which had angered the people and political parties. We have seen how other institutions like the police and CID did everything the CM and his coterie wanted and unleashed a reign of terror.

Though Jawahar Reddy earned a name of being more loyal than the king, the new government first asked him to report to General Administration Department and now it had posted him as Special Chief Secretary to BC welfare.

Why? It is so because Reddy is due to retire on June 30. The government does not want to be vindictive and deprive him of his retirement benefits. It wants an honourable exit for the long service he had rendered to the state though last five years was an aberration.

Similarly, Poonam Malakondaiah has also been facing several allegations of having blindly implemented all that the YSRCP government wanted her to do. She has also been given an important post so that she too can retire honourably.

This is in contrast the to the highly vindictive attitude shown by the YSRCP government to a DGP rank IPS officer A B Venkateswara Rao. Rao was harassed without giving any posting for five years and had to face cases after cases till last date of his retirement.

This has pushed some in the party and people into confusion. They felt Naidu would be a different leader now. They are now discussing whether Naidu is a changed leader or not. They feel that the IAS officers who committed mistakes should be punished and cannot be allowed to go scot free.

Surely, he should do that but the issue here is that any government that believes in democracy cannot change all officials in one go and get 100% new team. It needs to run administration with the best of the available officers.

So there has to be a balance. Some of those facing allegations should be given not so important posts and if some are facing serious allegations, action against them should be taken as per laws for all their misdeeds.

But some of the All India Services officials are now blaming the previous government of having pressurised them and threatening them to follow what the political executive says. Well this argument is rather untenable There is no reason for the administration to have got so much paralysed.

What would happen if they don’t agree with the government’s line and refuse to do what is not correct? They will be shunted out. What more can a state government do? Why should they succumb to pressures? What were the IAS associations doing all these five years? Doubts are being cast on these associations as well.

Why they did not take up the matter with the Union Home Ministry or if they had drawn the attention of the Home Ministry or Department of Personnel did they ignore their pleas? This too needs to be made public. If so why did the Centre remain mute spectator? What was the reason?

It would be interesting if some of these officials who at least after their retirement come out with facts so that the next generation of officers who are in service can learn lessons from them and bring changes in the system. One needs to know was it just pressure and threats for the YSRCP government or was there any other reason or consideration.

There was a time when many used to come to study the good governance practices in AP and the MCRHRD institute in Hyderabad used to be the main centre where several IAS trainees and officials used to come, study and learn.

Now the situation is different. They should perhaps come and study how officials can ruin the administration if they either succumb or compromise on core values.

At the same time the statesmanship quality displayed by this alliance government should be taken as an opportunity by the former ‘Ayya Yes’ officials to repent and reform themselves and vow never to turn into slaves of political executive. They should understand that their motto should be “Dil ki Suno” (Listen to what your conscience says not what the political bosses insist).

They should not only study the books on public administration but should study how in the past IAS officers used to be the eyes and ears of the Chief Ministers and used to call a spade a spade. Of course those were the days when Chief Ministers also used to give them that kind of freedom and respect their suggestions.

Even Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, father of Jaganmohan Reddy was not averse to learn from the officials. When the ORR was being constructed, senior officials say he had held several rounds of meetings with them trying to understand the reports submitted by the officials on the design and expenditure part of the ORR. He never said, “I know or just do what I say.”

The present alliance government will certainly be a case study of how coalitions should work whether it be in States or at Centre.