Political parties in India seem to believe in the mantra: when in doubt, invoke a legacy. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in the Telugu states, where deceased leaders’ names are stamped onto government schemes as if to guarantee their success. But can these parties not stand on their own feet without relying on the faded charisma of yesteryear leaders? After all, these schemes are funded by taxpayers, not the private treasuries of political dynasties.
Populism with a side of nostalgia
In Andhra Pradesh, former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy epitomized this trend during his tenure. From welfare measures for farmers to pensions for the elderly, many of his schemes bore the mark of ‘Rajanna Rajyam’, a reference to his father, the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR). Jagan’s calculated use of YSR’s legacy extended beyond schemes to his entire political narrative, cementing his father’s image as a welfare messiah to gain political mileage.
But the pendulum has since swung back. With N. Chandrababu Naidu reclaiming the chief minister’s chair after the latest assembly elections, the legacy war has taken a new turn. Naidu has rolled out several initiatives named after his father-in-law and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder, N.T. Rama Rao (NTR). While both YSR and NTR were towering figures in their time, their repeated invocation raises the question: is it really about honouring their contributions or manipulating their image to secure political gains?
A different legacy game in Telangana
In Telangana, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has shown no hesitation in following the same playbook. The ‘Indiramma Housing Scheme’, named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Civils Abhayahastam’ scheme for civil services aspirants are the latest additions to the long list of populist initiatives branded with Congress icons. We already have ‘Rajuv Rahadari’ from an earlier Congress-ruled government. These schemes might serve genuine needs, but their names reveal a calculated attempt to tie governance to the Congress party’s historical legacy.
Even Y.S. Sharmila, Jagan’s sister, tried to revive the ‘Rajanna Rajyam’ brand in Telangana before merging her fledgling party with the Congress. Despite her efforts, she failed to make any impact in the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections. Her reliance on her father’s name underscores the lack of originality in political narratives across the Telugu states.
Public money, private branding
The real issue with this legacy obsession lies in its brazen appropriation of public funds for party propaganda. Taxpayer money bankrolls these schemes, yet their branding often suggests otherwise. By attaching the names of political stalwarts, ruling parties attempt to claim credit not just for governance but for the very legacy of those leaders. This undermines the principle that public welfare initiatives are for the people and by the people — not a tool for political marketing.
Can governance rise above sentiment?
Why must a housing scheme be called ‘Indiramma Housing’ instead of something apolitical like the ‘Telangana Housing Support Scheme’? Why can’t employment initiatives have functional names that reflect their purpose rather than a party’s idol? The answer is simple: it’s easier to rely on nostalgia than to build credibility through actual governance.
The Telugu states are not alone in this trend, but they have elevated it to an art form. In doing so, they rob schemes of their neutrality and reduce them to vehicles for political branding. This is not just lazy politics — it is manipulative governance.
Time to bury the legacy card
As citizens, we must demand accountability from political parties. Governance should not be a tribute act to past leaders; it should be about solving today’s problems with today’s resources. Naming schemes after leaders — however revered — detracts from their purpose and reduces them to tools of political propaganda.
It is time to retire the legacy obsession and demand that governments deliver on their promises without leaning on borro