Promise of freebies rule the roost in Andhra Pradesh elections

Andhra Pradesh politics dominated by freebies as parties compete to attract voters with welfare schemes and financial assistance promises.

The politics of freebies, now an inseparable component of Indian democracy, is also ruling the roost in Andhra Pradesh. Various political parties have made it apparent in their manifestos and promises during major public meetings that they cannot appeal for votes without promising freebies, on a competitive scale, to the public.

Walking in the same path, YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy released the party’s manifesto on Saturday, and as expected, it is loaded with promises of welfare schemes and freebies. Carrying forward his ‘Nava Ratnalu’ welfare schemes which helped him bag the Chief Minister post in the 2019 elections, he promised to increase further the financial assistance provided through some of the schemes.

During Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy’s tenure, as per the official figures, an amount of ₹2,54,894 crore was credited into the accounts of beneficiaries of 29 DBT schemes between June 2019 and January 2024. This is in addition to ₹1,70,873 crore spent on various non-DBT schemes, including loans, scholarships, house sites, PDS rice, power subsidy and distribution of tabs to students.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader and TDP chief Mr. Naidu is not far behind in announcing freebies to the public, either. He included them in his manifestos in the 2014 and 2019 elections. A couple of months ago, he declared the TDP’s ‘Super Six’ manifesto at a public meeting in the run-up to the 2024 elections.

‘Super Six’ is laden with welfare initiative promises such as ₹3,000 per month for every unemployed youth, three free gas cylinders a year for every household, free bus rides for women and ₹20,000 for every farmer as annual seed capital.

A detailed and final manifesto is still awaited. The Super Six formulae were declared after a detailed deliberation with Pawan Kalyan, the leader of its alliance partner JSP.

Upon observing the trend of freebie-dominated electioneering, a senior political scientist said: “The politics of freebies has been part and parcel of Indian politics since the beginning. Initially, it was just an element in the overall manifesto and necessary for the development of the downtrodden, as the country was in a severe economic and social crisis post-Independence. Not that the downtrodden do not require the schemes or support now; they probably need it more now. But at what cost? The entire political narrative now revolves around these freebies to attract the vote bank. Be it any political party, the State’s exchequer cannot be drained out to fund the schemes and neglect the development sector.”