On the beat

THE CHIEF Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has donned quite a few avatars. Industry and business address him as `Mr. CEO, A.P. Inc'. Party leaders and the Ministers refer to him in hushed tones as `Headmaster' for the manner in which he sets a scorching pace and drives them.

And on Friday, the media-savvy Chief Minister assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief taking a hard look at how his boys are bringing out the party journal, `Telugu Desam'. Reviewing, as is his wont, the latest issue with the editorial board, Naidu felt it left something to be desired. Stories could have been featured better. "First of all, you should know how to pick the lead story", he was mentioned as telling them.

The lead story - his visit to New Delhi to finalise the State's annual plan and seek Central funds for drought - was `routine'. Instead, they could have highlighted the more topical Yeleru land compensation story in view of the raging controversy generated by persistent Opposition criticism.

The story could have kept the readers - mostly party functionaries and sympathisers - informed of the steps taken by the Government and put the issue in proper perspective to counter the Opposition onslaught.

Naidu is keen on giving the party mouthpiece a professional look and touch. The journal, which had been coming sporadically over the past three years, has been regular in the last two or three months.

He constituted an editorial board headed by Ummareddy Venkateswarlu, MP. K. Srinivas, general secretary, who was senior reporter of a leading Telugu daily until his election to the Lok Sabha, C. Ramachandraiah, MP, N. Sudhakar Rao, MLA, and R. Chandrasekhar Reddy, spokesman, are on the board.

By Dasu Kesava Rao

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Section  : Southern States
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