What is common between Tirupati and footwear? Tirupati is a city located at the lotus feet of Lord Venkateswara. The footwear protects the feet as the Lord protects the denizens.
Well, these common points seem to be sufficient for the Jai Samaikyandhra Party (JSP) candidate P. Naveen Kumar Reddy to drive his point home and strike a chord with the voters of Tirupati. What is eye-catching in his campaign is the specially-made bronze footwear carried by him personally to let the symbol sink in the people’s mind.
Locals know well that puja is performed to similar sets of bronze footwear at Alipiri Padala Mandapam, the foothills of Tirumala. According to mythology, the mammoth footwear belongs to Lord Venkateswara. Mr. Reddy is getting the people’s attention, thanks to the parading of the footwear on the city streets.
A staunch loyalist of Kiran, Mr. Naveen Reddy has formerly served as councilor in the erstwhile Tirupati Municipality. His father and grandfather too served as the Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively of the municipality in the past. It is this ‘connect for generations’ with the locals that Mr. Naveen seeks to renew. “The Samaikyandhra JAC comprising employees, students, doctors and traders, who participated in the agitation, have pledged their support. I am sure to get through with their votes”, he says.
Whether the voters are assuring him votes or not, they fold their hands in reverence and offer him ‘Namaskaram’ for carrying the ‘holy footwear’..!
