Andhra Pradesh

All’s fair in politics!

Arch rivals like TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu seemed to have buried the hatchet in view of the fast changing political scenario in the country.

While it is too premature to talk about alliances between these two parties, at least the open animosity between them is replaced by some mutual respect.

Who would not forget the vitriolic verbal attacks between the TRS and TDP leaders on several issues. Especially, the journos covering those beats would not forget them, as they had really struggled a lot while reporting to keep out the choicest epithets used by them.

But now, we are reminded by KCR that he and Naidu were no enemies and that they had worked together in TDP for 18 years.

Bonalu is one festival that is identified with Telangana. So it’s an opportunity for the politicians to participate in the festival to show that they do care for the region. It’s more or less a custom that the Chief Minister makes a mandatory visit to the Mahankali temple in Secunderabad and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy did visit the temple.

More interesting was the visit of Naga Babu, brother of Chiranjeevi, who is about to take the political plunge shortly, to the temple.

Police circles were agog about how a police inspector personally escorted the film actor’s vehicle taking it through the route meant only for VVIPs. More conspicuous by absence was film star-turned-politician Vijaya Shanti at the temple.

Wish KCR remembers this fact for ever and spares people the agony of listening to the litany of abuses and charges leaders of both parties indulge in.

Nowadays, politicians are always on the lookout for occasions to promote themselves and catch their seniors’ attention in the process.

Whether it is a party meeting, festival or government programme, the men in ‘khadi’ leave no stone unturned, as far as publicising themselves is concerned.

After putting up huge banners and posters on main thoroughfares during the recent visit of Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, leaders were at it again. This time they erected vinyl sheets along with their photographs and party presidents in lanes and by-lanes extending greetings to devotees coming to Sri Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad on the eve of Bonalu festival.

It’s indeed a different way of publicity!

“What would happen to all the TV channels and newspapers if the government is completely honest,” questioned a government official, later stating that the media and government have a ‘symbiotic’ relationship. But then the media doesn’t just report negative news does it? “Well people don’t want to read that everything’s right with the world, they want masala!” So much for optimism!

If there is one topic that enlivens the debates in the city these days, it is regarding the rampant power cuts, whether scheduled or unscheduled.

Peppering the invectives hurled towards the power distribution authorities and the government are misgivings with regard to the veracity in the claims of power scarcity.

A doubting Thomas was heard wondering aloud if the power cuts were being enforced just to push the government’s agenda of finalising the nuclear deal. Food for some doubt, isn’t it?

K. SRINIVAS REDDY,

M. SRINIVAS, D.V.L. PADMA PRIYA,

SWATHI.V

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