Chandrababu Naidu, who was once seen as a technocrat CM, is today reduced to expressions of bile and bitterness, paranoia and petulance. Clearly the man, who is facing imminent defeat both in Parliamentary and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, is rattled
Psychologist Guy Winch once wrote about how the fear of failure can trigger feelings such as disappointment, anger, frustration, sadness, regret and confusion.
His words and analysis come rushing to the mind when one gets down to listen to Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu these days.
The man, who was once seen as a technocrat CM, is today reduced to expressions of bile and bitterness, paranoia and petulance. Clearly the man, who is facing imminent defeat both in Parliamentary and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, is rattled.
Also read: Here is why Chandrababu Naidu needs to 'beware the ides of March'
As per indications, YS Jaganmohan Reddy's YSR Congress seems to be the front-runner to form the government at the state. Naidu's TDP that has had a fallout with both the BJP and the Congress, looks extremely uninspiring and tepid in its campaign. Actor turned politician Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena is also making headway, while the TDP, the Congress and the BJP are cutting a forlorn figure.
But it is Naidu who seems to have taken the blow to his heart. His recent utterances have become intemperate and his allegations are looking over-the-top and downright silly. Recently, he described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a maniac. He went on to call his archrival Jaganmohan Reddy as a psycho.
Much worse things have been said in the heat of electoral battles, but what makes Naidu's outbursts disturbing is there is the clear undercurrent of peevishness and a sense of fear-mongering.
Also read: Chandrababu Naidu hits out at PM Modi; holds sit-in protest in Vijayawada
"They may also arrest me tomorrow or day after. Let them do. I will go to jail but I will not be cowed." These are words of desperation, someone trying to paint himself as a martyr as he finds the going tough.
"He is seeing the ghosts of failure. He is seeing the ghosts of his opponents everywhere. That is why he is alleging that his house is under surveillance. He claims that his rivals are keeping a tab on whoever meets him. These are wild allegations as long as he doesn't provide any credible proof for them," says SV Reddy of YSR Congress.
Also read: Chandrababu Naidu calls PM Modi 'pseudo chowkidar'; BJP terms it 'murky politics'
One can at least, in a sense, understand Naidu targeting the BJP or the YSR Congress. But recently he went after the Janata Dal (United) leader Prashant Kishor, describing him as a 'Bihari dacoit'. He accused Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of indulging in criminal politics.
Prashant Kishor hit back with the tweet: "An imminent defeat can rattle even the most seasoned politicians. So I’m not surprised with the baseless utterances of @ncbn Sirji rather than using derogatory language that shows your prejudice & malice against Bihar, just focus on why people of AP should vote for you again."
An imminent defeat can rattle even the most seasoned politicians. So I’m not surprised with the baseless utterances of
Sirji rather than using derogatory language that shows your prejudice & malice against Bihar, just focus on why people of AP should vote for you again. https://t.co/CYSJNRJ43W
But Naidu's problem does not stop with his political foes. He is now without much allies. Naidu, who four or five months ago, began on a much-vaunted campaign to unite the anti-BJP parties under one umbrella, is today reduced to a state where he is more or less without any friends. Only TMC's Mamata Banerjee retains her links with his party. Even the Left Front guys are unhappy with him.
The thing is after he famously tried to woo Rahul Gandhi, the TDP's dalliance with the Congress ended in a monumental fiasco. Yet, typical of their unprincipled politics, the two parties may still want to come together in a post-poll situation.
Anyway, the disaster with the Congress did nothing to improve his image as a man for 'U-turns'. When you take many U-turns, you will probably not make any headway, and will be merely going around in circles.
Alas, that is the sad reality of Naidu and TDP today.
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