Politicians use the best of Telugu to the worst effect

Though general polls are a year away, leaders are testing their tongue lashing skills

Published: 26th April 2013 09:26 AM  |   Last Updated: 26th April 2013 09:26 AM

By J R Prasad | ENS

Bandipotu (dacoit), Kallu Tagina Koti (drunken monkey), Daddhamma (most incompetent fellow), Jebu Donga (pickpocket), Neechudu (mean fellow), Nikrustudu (debauched) and Tagubothu (drunkard) - these are not the latest Tollywood titles, but are a part of the ever-expanding political lexicon of our leaders.

Sweltering heat of the summer might have decreased for now. But, politicos are increasing the political temperature in the State with their high-voltage punch dialogues.

Though general elections are a year away, leaders of various political hues are vying with one another in testing their tongue-lashing skills. Name-calling, personal attacks and heaping choicest abuses on rivals have become the order of the day. It all started with Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy’s broadside against YSRC chief Jagan Mohan Reddy 10 days ago. He had said it wouldn’t be wrong if the Kadapa MP were executed for his corruption. Anam had also called the son of his former boss late YS Rajasekhara Reddy a “looter”.

As soon as Anam opened fire and dropped hints that the Congress has decided to disown YSR, some of his cabinet colleagues joined the chorus and hurled choices epithets at Jagan. In retaliation, the YSRC leaders tried to outdo the Congressmen.

In the lexicon of YSRC leaders, their Congress counterparts are betrayers and back-stabbers, who had crawled before the late Rajasekhara Reddy when he was alive and ditched him soon after his demise.

With the Congress and YSRC grabbing space in the media with their punches, the TDP could not remain a wallflower and it too targeted the YSRC and the Congress. For TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and his party leaders, Jagan is a dacoit and his followers robbers. Naidu called the Congress “a party of thieves” and the YSRC a “party of bandicoots”.

Not to lag behind, even Left leaders like CPI State secretary K Narayana and CPM State secretary BV Raghavulu took to name-calling. Narayana called Jagan a dacoit and Raghavulu termed N Kiran Kumar Reddy the most incompetent chief minister.

With the State government opening up “Bayyaram can of worms” by allocating its iron ore mines to the Vizag Steel Plant, silver-tongued TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao entered the scene.

Taking strong objection to the allegation of Naidu that TRS is a farmhouse party, KCR, a vehement critic of the TDP chief, went to the extent of criticising the physical features of Naidu.

But neither Naidu nor his partymen exercised restraint in hitting back at KCR. TDP senior Mothkupalli Narasimulu used all possible abuses to attack KCR. He called KCR Neechudu (mean fellow), Nikrushtudu (debauched) and Tagubothu (drunkard).

Another senior leader of the TDP, Kodela Siva Prasada Rao too joined Narasimulu. In his dictionary, KCR is a traitor. In a bid to strike back at the TDP, TRS leader Eatela Rajender called the yellow party leaders “drunken monkeys”.