Chandrababu batting on the weakest wicket in political life

Chandrababu Naidu has never found himself on such a weak wicket all his four-decade-long political career. Not only has he been jailed at the fag end of his political life, but he has also been denied the facility of house arrest. If sources are to be believed, YS Jagan is said to be readying up a few more cases, where Chandrababu could be jailed.

What has left Chandrababu Naidu shocked was that there were no spontaneous uprisings all across Andhra Pradesh. The people are not coming out in droves to protest his arrest. Several MLAs and other leaders are merely posting pics of their being under house arrest. This is an alibi for their inaction, say political observers.

He was once the convener of both the third front and the BJP-led NDA at the centre. But, except HD Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal Secular and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee have issued statements condemning the arrest. The other political heavyweights with whom Naidu rubbed shoulders have largely remained quiet.

Most appallingly for Chandrababu Naidu, even his family members appear to be not united in condemning his arrest. While actor Balakrishna condemned the arrest, NTR remained diplomatic. Similarly, while wife and daughter-in-law were critical of the government for arresting Chandrababu, his wife’s sister Daggubati Purandeswari, who leads the AP BJP, has not gone beyond mere condemnation.