VIJAYAWADA:
Slip of tongue can land politicians in big trouble and sometimes invite the wrath of the party high command too apart from onslaught from social media.
From Jaleel Khan to K. S. Jawahar, many Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders could not escape the attention of the social media. With mainstream media picking up the trends in the social media, it ups the ante of leaders.
“Who said beer is not a health drink? I am ready to prove it’s a health drink,” said Excise Minister K. S. Jawahar, which went viral. Even as the Minister clarified that his remarks were twisted, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is said to have summoned him seeking clarification. It is learnt that he gave an earful to the Minister for his remarks.
The issue also figured at a meeting called by Mr. Naidu with Dalit MLAs and MLCs on Tuesday. He told the leaders to be cautious while speaking to the media.
IT and Panchayat Raj Minister Nara Lokesh alleged that the YSR Congress was engineering false propaganda against Mr. Jawahar for his remarks.
Mr. Jawahar is not the first to catch the attention. Mr. Jaleel Khan, Vijayawada (West) MLA, surprised many with his observation that he wanted to pursue B. Com (Physics). Before forgetting his remarks on academics netizens were caught off guard, then Kurnool MLA SV Mohan Reddy claimed that he had studied CEC (Civics, Economics and Commerce) in his bachelor’s degree.
Later, it was the turn of Mr. Lokesh. On the 126th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, Mr. Lokesh used the word “Vardhanthi” (death anniversary) while addressing a gathering in Vijayawada.
TDP MLA from Bhimavaram in West Godavari district Pulaparthi Ramanjaneyulu caught the attention with his claim that he drank only milk till he was 20 and started eating solid food only after he was compelled by his relatives.
And, finally, not to miss, even Mr. Naidu was a victim of the slip of the tongue. In Assembly, he said AP was first in corruption and development. Later, he clarified, “I actually wanted to say that the State had topped in the country in eliminating corruption and in development. It was a slip of tongue.”
