With series of elections in the State, the daily wage labourers are much in demand as politicians are making a beeline for them to accompany them for campaigning. Everyday, the key aides of contesting candidates are seen visiting the labour ‘addas’ to strike a deal with a group of labourers to accompany them for campaign.
The other day, a social activist launched a campaign to educate voters not to accept money or liquor from contestants at Bhaskar Theatre Centre, which is among the ‘labour addas’ in the town. After watching the activist speaking like a politician, a group of women labourers rushed towards him expecting an ‘offer’ for participating in electioneering.
But, they were disappointed after understating what his intention was. Within minutes, another person, follower of a contestant, arrived with the expected offer when the smiling workers boarded the vehicle without any bargain.
T. Karnakar Reddy
(in Nalgonda)
A class apart!
A policeman is a policeman always. The culture of authority is so deeply ingrained in his psyche that when he interacts with a civilian he would display his authority in his actions and deeds too whether it is necessary or not. The checkposts set up on roads because of the forthcoming elections provides an occasion for the policeman to display his authority. And this idiosyncrasy was more than evident in Warangal police. Wearing fatigues and wielding lathis, vehicles were being flagged down and the policeman posing all his authority would bark an order to open the boot of the car. After checking the suitcases he would order you to go. When asked why they could not be a bit polite and why orders are given in such a loud voice, a policeman manning the checkpost near Alankar Theatre barked an answer: “I am police. I am trained to talk like this”. That would make one wonder whether show of this authority is necessary at all. Why can’t they be a bit civilised and polite? Perhaps, it’s too much to expect from a police force.
K. Srinivas Reddy
(in Warangal)
‘A vote and a note’
Usually during elections, contesting candidates and their supporters seek votes. Here is a candidate who is seeking not only votes but also ‘note’ as well. The other day, G. Beeraiah Yadav, a rebel candidate from the TRS who is contesting against party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a media conference and fired salvos against him. Later, he issued an appeal to voters to vote him as well as distributed a note stating that: “I am a small party worker taking on mighty Chandrasekhar Rao. I could not compete with him unless you vote for me and extend financial support as well.”
Avadhani Remella
(in Sangareddy)
Professional hazards
Well, one heard of PSUs and government departments hiring services of PR firms as part of corporatisation and building a brand image. Of late, political parties which have become image-conscious in the election season are engaging the PR firms to ensure that all their important activities and itinerary of their leaders reach out to the people through the media. So far so good.
But what the political parties may not have realised is these so- called PR personnel in their eagerness to keep their ‘clients’ happy have started testing the patience of journalists by ‘marketing’ their political clients for possible media coverage at every possible opportunity.
Another penchant of some PR persons is to plant themselves during one-to-one interactions or to ensure that the interviews with the politicians or spokespersons happen through them. It takes away the spontaneity of political interactions in a dynamic election season, says a veteran scribe. Time these PR executives stop the obtrusive media engagement? It is not their pestering persuasiveness but the merit of the event or development which ensures coverage.
M.L. Melly Maitreyi (In Hyderabad)
Rajini fans in a dilemma
Undoubtedly, Chittoor assembly constituency, bordering with Tamil Nadu, has a strong presence of fans of superstar Rajinikant. The number would be somewhere around 5,000 and the congregation would always be out with wild frenzy whenever his films are released, and during the election time. During the previous years, they used to carry out their work for the political parties they liked, while several of them stayed away from campaign. Now, Rajini’s praise for Narendra Modi has prompted his fans to think politically. In Chittoor constituency, the TDP is being backed by the BJP as part of their electoral understanding. However, several of the fans are influenced by local politics, predominantly dominated by a former Congress leader, who recently joined the YSR Congress. Hardcore Rajini fans say “Rajini’s praise for Modi is purely personal. So we can also be personal here... and still be Rajini’s fans... ”
K. Umashanker (in Chittoor)
Daughter vs. daughter-in-law!
Highlighting relations to bag votes is common in politics. Though an outsider, YSRC candidate R.K. Roja calls herself the ‘daughter-in-law’ of Nagari to lure the Mudaliar community, as her husband R.K.Selvamani belongs to this dominant caste. With this, V.S.S. Indira, daughter of Congress strongman Reddivari Chenga Reddy, decided to play the ‘daughter’ card. The ex Minister’s followers too feel that she has a rightful claim as the ‘daughter of the soil’.
Meanwhile, TDP candidate G. Muddukrishnama Naidu is all smiles, apparently convinced that the battle of women would benefit him at the end.
A.D. Rangarajan (in Tirupati)
Food for thought
Poultry owners are a happy lot ever since politicians have found that the way to the voter’s heart is through his or her stomach. Gone are the days of bribing voters with money and expecting a valuable vote in return. Acknowledging the changing times and demands, politicians now give one whole bird delivered to every prospective non-vegetarian voter, especially in the rural areas.
While the genuinely hungry voters say the sight of a full bird appeals to them more than notes, the “power-hungry” politicians say this is a novel way of escaping the poll officials.
Rahul Devulapalli
(in Hyderabad)
