Andhra Pradesh

Roaring business

The large crowd that swarmed Swaraj Maidan on Sunday must have gladdened the hearts of organisers of the ongoing book festival. The parking space overflowed and the traffic police had their hands full. But, did it really mean that the book sellers did roaring business? Well, one will have to wait for the organisers to answer this. But, what could be said for sure was that the centrally located stall that sells hot and crispy snacks like bajjis and sweets, as well as the ice-cream stall next to it, did some roaring business, with families spending more time at these stalls than book stalls. For the entertainment-starved people of Vijayawada, book festival is probably just another option.

It was a visual treat for the better halves of the APSRTC drivers who were feted for their clean record as part of the Road Safety Week celebrations organised by the Krishna region of the corporation. The officials made it a point to call out the names of both spouses, inviting the pairs on to the dais to receive the cash prize, the bouquet and the certificate – a move clearly hinting at the new role entrusted to the drivers’ spouses – that they are now equal partners in ensuring safe journey of the passengers. “Now that the wives have witnessed praises being showered on their spouses for their outstanding performance, they will certainly strive to fulfil their role on the domestic front in even better way, thus contributing to the success of the Corporation,” Regional Manager of the Corporation A. Koteswara Rao explained the logic.

There are now more number of leaders and cadres migrating from the Congress to the Praja Rajyam Party than any other party in the city. Naturally, various groups that were predominant in the city Congress joined the PRP in the past few months. Now the question is whether the young PRP leadership will be able to handle these groups efficiently and successfully. Since the Congress has a long tradition and history, group politics and such menaces leave a little impact on the overall party position. But that is not the case with the PRP, as it is struggling to get a full shape. Local leaders count on only one thing to tide over group politics or any such problem. Obviously, that is the Chiranjeevi factor. They are confident of the actor’s charisma pacifying even the unhappiest of the leaders.

Kankipadu MLA Devineni Rajasekhar was more than a little bit flabbergasted when he found that he was the first to arrive at Andhra Ratna Bhavan, the city Congress office, to address a press conference. Even city president Pyla Sominaidu had not arrived by then. The office secretary reportedly told the MLA that he should come at 4 p.m., half an hour in advance of the programme. The programme included the release of vinyl posters sent directly by the PCC. “I will release the poster and go away,” the MLA said to Mr. Sominaidu, adding: “I had to wake up my son and persuade him to drive me down, so that I am on time for the programme.” Only after Mr. Sominaidu shouted at the office secretary in a dramatic manner to save his face, did the MLA reconcile to his arriving so early.

(K. Srimali, P. Sujatha Varma, G. Ravikiran and G.V. Ramana Rao )