Vijayawada: Political parties in Andhra Pradesh, especially the Telugu Desam and YSRC, seem to be barking up the wrong tree while trading barbs at each other over alleged data theft.
Five days ago, the Telangana police raided the IT firm that works for TD to investigate possible government data theft. Since then, the political narrative in AP has changed.
Over the past few days, both the parties have been crossing swords day in and day out over data theft and pushing aside all the issues of welfare and development which are especially crucial now with elections on the horizon. While data theft can be understood by the educated masses who constitute a very small portion of the state’s electorate, the rural population still does not understand what the issue is all about.
Political analysts point out that the data issue will not find traction among voters in Andhra Pradesh. However, political parties seem to have no intention to lie low on it. TD supremo and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy exchanging words on data theft have helped the issue gain significance.
However, a few political analysts believe that although the data theft issue might not influence the voters a great deal, Mr Reddy was successful in diverting attention from the welfare measures that were announced by Mr Naidu months before the general polls.
“It is true indeed that the data theft issue will not gain traction among voters as most voters in the state don’t understand much about it. But Mr Reddy was successful in averting the political narrative. Until the data theft issue had come up, Mr Naidu was dwelling on welfare measures like the Anna Dhata Sukhibava, the Pasupu Kumkuma, enhancement of social security pensions, etc., all aimed at attracting women and farmer folk. Now, however, Mr Naidu is preoccupied with deciphering the data theft issue,” said a political analyst on condition of anonymity.
