YS Jaganmohan Reddy: Michael Corleone, desi style!

There would always be resistance to change. The more radical the change, the more the resistance would be in a society, from the beneficiaries of the existing set-up

- Julius Caesar

While the incessant Jagan Bhajan is almost making me (like most others) believe that YSR was sort of a Mahatma, the campaign through media is getting shriller by the day. We are now told about surveys where 3/4 of the surveyed are said to be dying to see YSR Jr as the new CM, literally. Countless morons threatened self-immolation If YS Jagan is not throned. Among them, I find even an MLA Dr. T. Rajaiah from my own district Warangal. I just wondered why this educated MLA doesn't show an iota of that loyalty to the electorate who elected him in the first place. That is the catch. Why do we see this mass frenzy for someone who was out of public eye and whose businesses no one in the general public is completely sure about. While the mass surge in emotion and sympathy could be explained partly by the unbelievably violent accident that claimed YSR's life, what should beat an outside observer is this unchallenged raucous campaign by YS Jagan camp. After all, Congress is always known as the faction-ridden, ill-disciplined outfit where every chance for CM gaddi is contested for by at least a dozen wannabes. Then why is that we don't see a single aspirant apart from YS Jagan? Why is the 'High-command' tolerant of this open revolt? The answer lies in the persona of YSR and his junior, and the legacy YSR left.

When a weak central leadership outsourced the state congress affairs to YSR, he grabbed the opportunity, gave his all, forged alliances and came to power in 2004. From his background from Rayalaseema badlands, he bought his own feudal morality into governance. He cleverly focused on populist programs for poor to consolidate his vote bank while benefiting his loyalists in every government program directly and indirectly. Strongmen started operating for tenders, real estate settlements etc and rule of law, regulations were thrown to the wind even in the capital like Hyderabad. His loyalists were given a sense of ownership as they were handed over certain geographical areas in districts. They were asked to deliver election results in those areas in exchange to unbridled freedom over administrative machinery and government program implementation - thousands of crores of projects in irrigation, infrastructure, power etc. YSR successfully experimented with this setup in the by-polls last year and achieved very good results, reducing the erstwhile ally TRS to a pygmy. YSR then successfully lobbied with Ms.Gandhi and got a free hand in the selection of candidates for the assembly polls. With all bounty he was obviously contributing and the results he showed in by-polls, he was indeed handed the whole stock. He handpicked all guys for assembly elections and no wonder, for all the rewards they got, his loyalists bought in a thumping victory for YSR this year. This well-oiled machinery is now the backbone of Congress in the state and YSR was the unchallenged leader in the state, till the flight did him in. Now when this whole system and its beneficiaries (MLAs, MPs, Party workers) are in danger of loosing favour with a new CM, they naturally are orchestrating a loud campaign in the media. Too much is at stake and and they wont let their years of 'hard-work' all just go. So, they thunder 'Jagan is the only leader who can fulfill YSR's vision'. And with all that we see, YS Jagan is all for this continuity and 'vision'. If the 'high-command' succumbs to the masses, it is to be seen if YS Jagan would react to the obvious corruption allegations with the same disdain and contempt his father did. Is Bangalore-based YS Jagan capable of the same feudal mindset and indifference to democratic ethos his father has demonstrated? Or would he be attacked, forced to debate and made to look a sorry figure by the opposition and pro-TDP media over his various businesses - thousands of crores worth power, mining, infrastructure and media enterprises? We have to wait and see. Meanwhile, media has been bombarding us with the visuals of YS Jagan tirelessly receiving unending stream of visitors supposedly conveying their sympathy and support in his moment of grief. However, it looks the other way round when we get to look at the pictures. Jagan unfailingly welcomes the wailing or grief stricken loyalist closer, holds his/her hands and then cups their cheeks, looks straight into their eyes and reassures them with some words. The scene reminds me of the physical contact involved in the Godfather series where in general, the Godfather is kissed on his finger ring by all loyalists who visit him. And in one particularly moving scene, Michael Corleone embraces and then kisses his elder brother Fredo on his lips. These are men of intensity and strong will and its natural, i guess, for them to get physical. They are natural leaders. I remembered the scene mainly because the context is similar. While Don Vito Corleone operated with the mobs, YSR operated in the mobocracy. Both were ruthless and were men of their word while in bargain they got unwavering loyalty. While the Don had Tom Hagen as his consigliere, YSR had an equally dear KVP Ramachandra Rao, whom he referred to as his soulmate. When the Don gets killed, destiny forces the young Michael to take over. Jagan faces a similar destiny now and is forced to take over, CM or not, and keep the flock together.