Andhra Pradesh   

Test of endurance at VIPs’ public meetings

Arduous wait: Women and children take shelter under a tree waiting for TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu’s ‘Mee Kosam’ yatra at Pippalkuti village in Tamsi mandal recently.

ADILABAD: Elections are exacting not just for politicians. Commoners who are ‘invited’ to attend election meetings to be addressed by VIP politicians too are tested for patience when they wait long hours braving extremely hot weather among other inconveniences.

Sometimes, arrival of a VIP may be delayed even by several hours. It is a regular phenomenon during the time of elections when there is a lot of pressure on them. Yet, people do not seem to mind the delay caused by political ‘exigencies’.

It is estimated that about 30,000 people had waited for Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu on each of his three-day ‘Mee Kosam’ yatra in Adilabad district that concluded on May 13. On day 1, for his visit to 17 places in all people had to wait as he was running six hours behind schedule. He might have suspended his road shows at 10 p.m. due to the model code of conduct in force but, hundreds of people in nine villages waited for him patiently until 12 midnight.

It is also a development of recent times that political parties are devising ways and means to keep waiting people away from boredom. ‘Kala brundalu’ or cultural troupes have become an essential part of political events and public meetings.

The latest strategy to keep the interest of waiting people alive is to create an impression that the VIP in question is just a few stops away from them. The impression is created by the party’s local leaders who keep passing information that the convoy of the VIP is about to arrive.

Some vehicles are made to simply zoom on the route to be taken by the VIP to arouse curiosity among people who gather in villages lining the route.

The business community in the villages en route VIPs’ road shows is perhaps the happiest among all sections. Delay means brisk business as snacks, water and cool drinks sell like hot cakes.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Commission rejects papers of TDP nominee in Khanapur
Igniting the minds
Winners of music contest
Theft in jewellery shop
Dog days
Test of endurance at VIPs’ public meetings
Inflation worries women beedi workers
Telugu Desam Party in ‘Catch-22’ situation
CPI ‘padayatra’ against bauxite mining concludes
Two farmers arrested
Bowled over
ABVP seeks action against BIE
Workshop on privileges
City plunged into darkness
Library Science
Spoken English course
Heat wave claims one
Selected for multiple award
Union’s plea
Water woes
Summer camp
Appointed cultural ambassador
Pickle making
‘Chain snatchers’ held
We have high regard for EC: Rajasekhara Reddy

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu