BJP national general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao took a dig at the privileges claimed by media representatives saying that the social media had reduced the importance of the print and electronic media. “The media representatives were being given preferential treatment because of their control over dissemination of information. Now anyone with a cellphone is good enough to share information,” he said at a workshop on social media as agent of change. Playing to the galleries, he went on to say that social media had become the primary source of information
An ‘amusing’
show of strength
The practice of using banners and flexi boards as tools for ‘show of strength’ among political leaders is gaining popularity. The ‘yuva netas’ of Kakinada has taken to this practice in a big way. A case in point is the recent incident wherein the followers of Vanamadi Umasankar, the kin of city MLA V. Venkateswara Rao, put up a massive portrait of their young leader in all important junctions on the city, wishing their leader a happy birthday. In a swift response, the followers of Pilli Krishna, son of rural MLA Pilli Anantha Lakshmi, tried all they could do to outsmart their city counterparts. They also displayed huge banners and flexi boards even without any occasion!
Support and ‘reluctance’
It is an open secret that caste plays a key role in polls, particularly in backward areas where people can be easily influenced. TDP leaders are in jubilant mood with the united support from Kalinga Vysyas who have been a dominant force in the district. The reason for their support is the BC status given to the community. Interestingly, many leaders of the association, including its president Andhavarapu Varaha Narasimham, are in the YSRC camp. But, they are forced to felicitate TDP leaders as they got the BC status during the TDP regime. Kalinga Vysyas support is likely to benefit TDP in the ensuing Srikakulam municipal elections, according to political pundits.
TDP leaders anticipate winning the next general elections too as the Kalinga Vysyas can ensure the party victory.
(With inputs from
G. S. Subrahmanyam ,
K. N. Murali Sankar
and K. Srinivas Rao )
