A curious political debate is unfolding in the Telugu states. The developments from the 2009–2014 period seem to be repeating themselves. Exactly 15 years ago, similar political scenes played out in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, and now, there’s a growing perception that those same events are happening again in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. And what is the buzz all about? It’s about leaders and jails.
Yes, both in AP and Telangana, this is the latest trend. The current governments are initiating investigations into the actions and decisions made during the ten years of KCR’s rule and the five years of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s leadership. Already, some political leaders and a few bureaucrats have ended up in jail. There is a strong likelihood that more officers and key leaders might be imprisoned soon. There’s even speculation that YSRCP chief and former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy might be arrested. As part of this debate, Jagan’s wife Bharathi Reddy’s name is also being mentioned, if not directly, at least indirectly.
Among the general public—especially among neutral observers—questions are being raised: Why can’t leaders do politics cleanly? Knowing that corruption might lead them to jail, why do they still risk it all just for money? Why are they so desperate? People are baffled. From Lalu Prasad Yadav, Gali Janardhan Reddy, Jagan Mohan Reddy, Vijayasai Reddy, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Mithun Reddy, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy, to Chandrababu, Lokesh, Achchennaidu, KCR, KTR, Kavitha—many political leaders have corruption cases filed against them. Add to that several IAS and IPS officers. Some are already in jail, some have served time, and others are expected to go behind bars soon.
Even those who have already been to jail seem to repeat the same mistakes. Ask them why, and each will give a different reason. Politicians typically claim that they are being targeted by rivals, that false cases are filed to stop their rise—this is the stereotyped story you hear every time. But the question still arises: If they know prison is a possible outcome, why continue indulging in white-collar crimes? Is it a habit? Or is there some deeper reason? When party heads themselves engage in wrongdoing, doesn’t it set a precedent for their fellow leaders and workers to do the same?
If we analyze the reasons behind this behavior, politics itself is the root cause. Positions of power and authority draw people into politics. Forming parties and contesting elections require enormous sums of money. In a single assembly constituency, if three strong candidates are contesting, the expenditure per segment can go up to ₹150 crores. On average, each party may need to spend ₹40–50 crores per seat. While this number may vary across constituencies, an average of ₹40 crores per seat is a fair estimate.
Accordingly, to contest across Andhra Pradesh, a political party would need to spend at least ₹7,000 crores. In Telangana, that estimate is around ₹4,760 crores. And even after spending this much, there’s no guarantee of winning. Thus, the political game becomes more complex, filled with strategies and counter-strategies. With so much money at stake, those who gain power naturally look to recoup their investment. Politics has turned into a business. When politics becomes business, amassing wealth becomes a habit. Since they are in power, rules and regulations are often ignored. They justify this by saying: “This money isn’t for us, it’s for running the party.” The mindset becomes: corruption isn’t wrong.. not doing it is.
Another reason for this blatant behavior is the enormous faith in the inefficiency of our legal system. Corruption cases don’t get resolved quickly. Especially those involving political leaders take years. Even if they are resolved, it often takes a lifetime. The Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy illegal assets case is a prime example. It has been 14 years since the case was filed. While some investigation has taken place, the pace is extremely slow, and it’s unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. During these 14 years, Jagan has even served as CM of Andhra Pradesh for five years. If the timing had favored him, he might have won again. But in the 2024 elections, the public verdict went against him. Now, he’s the Leader of the Opposition, and he confidently says he will win the next election. This sends a clear signal to politicians: corruption cases don’t progress quickly in court, so they can continue their politics unchecked.
Even after serving jail time, some politicians show no signs of slowing down. One more reason is the hero worship culture. There was a time when going to jail was seen as a matter of shame. Now, it’s viewed as a boost to political image. Leaders calculate the political mileage they can gain from a jail stint. Some even mentally prepare for jail as a badge of honor. In Jagan’s case, efforts were made to portray him as a hero after his jail episode. This appealed to many Telugu politicians. Now, some believe that jail time is crucial to political success.
However, Jagan lost the 2014 election after coming out of jail. He won in 2019 but lost again in 2024. In contrast, Chandrababu Naidu went to jail and then won, but that win was largely due to the public’s strong anti-incumbency against Jagan’s government—not merely because Naidu had been jailed. Revanth Reddy also won after serving time, but that was largely due to widespread opposition to KCR’s family by the 2023 elections, which worked in Congress’s favor. Arvind Kejriwal went to jail and still lost. So, there’s no real correlation between serving time and electoral success. Yet, for some reason, jail has become a political badge of honor.
After Jagan’s jail stint, portraying him as a hero had a deep impact on other politicians. Now, they see jail time as an asset to their political career. They’re mentally prepared for it, even consider it a privilege. When politicians think like this, they are no longer afraid of prison, and as a result, are not deterred by the risk of corruption. The mindset becomes: “So what if I go to jail? It’s just jail.” This attitude is spreading rapidly.
When political leaders behave like this, some bureaucrats are acting even worse. Some IAS and IPS officers are openly cooperating with their political bosses, breaking rules without hesitation. Officers like Dhanunjay Reddy and Srilakshmi (IAS), and PSR Anjaneyulu (IPS) have been arrested. Yet, many others refuse to change their ways. Some corrupt IAS officers not only indulge in graft but even advise ministers and CMs on how to make money. This is inexcusable. When news breaks that an IAS officer has gone absconding, it’s deeply shameful. But rather than feeling guilty, many officers seem to be taking such matters lightly.
To sum it up—politics, governance, court cases, and jail time have all become normalized today. Now, it’s all about bail, jail, and the CM’s chair. If this system is to change, the change must come from the people. Voters must be aware and discerning—knowing what’s good, what’s bad, who deserves their vote, and who doesn’t. Until such awareness spreads, we might see changes in political analysis, but we won’t see real change in society.
