•Credit for YSR’s success should be given to his 2003 padayatra. That effort of personal labour gained him insight into Andhra’s rural hinterland and popularity. While in power he gave dignity to the poor and to marginalised women. These two sections made up most of his mourners, grateful for foodgrains at an affordable price and employment in projects. YSR believed “power is what power does”, and accordingly settled scores with enemies and helped friends. He wasn’t above controversy. But, with numbers on his side, YSR could brush aside the opposition’s allegations. Indeed, he was a complete politician.

— M.K.D. Prasada Rao

Ghaziabad

Unsettling still

•The article ‘Lanka’s barbed wire’ is timely (IE, September 10). The reasonable and achievable conditions mentioned, if accepted and implemented by the Rajapaksa government, will certainly help ethnic reconciliation and pave the way for durable peace and progress. Unfortunately, all these months after the LTTE’s end, Rajapaksa hasn’t shown any visible intent to embrace the war-ravaged Tamil civilians. In fact, Sri Lanka seems bent on vengeance. This attitude is certainly wrong. After all, “No question is ever settled until it is settled right.”

— C.G. Sivakumaran

New Delhi

Suite spell

•The strongly-worded editorial ‘Bitter suite’ (IE, September 9) made some telling points. Krishna and Tharoor showed disregard for the Congress’s “austerity” drive. What people really expect from politicians is sincerity and transparency, more than modest bills. It’s true that extravagance must be avoided, especially in hard times. So, either the “VIP culture” has to be abolished to stem this hypocrisy, or those meaningless exhortations on austerity should be stopped.

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