State in grip of yatra fever

Hyderabad, Nov. 3: Massive public meetings and yatras have become the order of the day in Andhra Pradesh as election fever grips the political parties. The competition is growing by the day. Megastar Chiranjeevi’s massive public meeting at Tirupati for the launch of the Praja Rajyam has prompted other parties to organise similar shows to display their strength by mobilising lakhs of people.

It is estimated that about five lakh people attended Chiranjeevi’s first public meeting on August 27. On that day, Tirupati was flooded with people from all parts of the State. They came in trucks, buses, trains, cars and two wheelers. The frenzied reaction of crowds when Chiranjeevi came on stage was brought to drawing rooms by television channels. The think-tanks of the Congress and the Telugu Desam immediately got down to work to organise similar mega meetings.

The Congress arranged an "interaction" between party chief, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and two lakh women self help group members at Tirupati on September 12, and billed it the largest gathering of women. Similarly, the public meeting of the Congress at an 80-acre site on the outskirts of Anantapur town was a equally grand show. Around five to seven lakh people participated in it.

The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, was all praise for the ministers Mr N Raghuveera Reddy, Mr J.C. Diwakar Reddy and Mr Botsa Satyanarayana, who arranged the programme. Not to be outdone, Telugu Desam is planning to conduct a mega Yuva Garjana in Guntur on November 5.

The party supremo, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, has reportedly directed his colleagues to make it grander than the shows organised by Chiranjeevi and Congress. The target is 10 lakh people. Meanwhile, the senior TD leader, Mr Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, has alleged that the government was trying to put obstacles at every step for the proposed TD rally. "We asked the APSRTC to provide sufficient number of buses but they are reluctant. However, they did the same for the Congress," he said. "They are insisting on payment of Rs 10,000 as deposit for every bus. Similarly, we sought three trains to ferry people from different parts of the state. Despite these hurdles, we will present a grand show."

The senior Congress leader and former PCC chief, Mr P. Narsa Reddy, admitted that all parties are being compelled to put up mega shows. Parties are pumping in crores of rupees to mobilise people, to put up colourful hoardings, banners, flags, and to rent thousands of vehicles, not to speak of giving out advertisements in newspapers and TV channels. "Earlier, we just had to give free food and water to people," said Mr Narsa Reddy. "Now you have to shell out cash like one pays for daily wagers along with providing other facilities."

But the moot question is whether such meetings and road shows persuade people to vote for a party. "It is a million dollar question," said Dr Mysoora Reddy. "Ultimately, you don’t know what goes on in the minds of people."