Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Living in many roles


DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: A photo exhibition greets visitors to the N T R TrustBhavan, the Telugu Desam Party headquarters in Hyderabad. The photo expo is a constant feature at the TDP office. Large-size pictures of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu taking part in various party programmes and other engagements are put on display. And, the show is constantly updated as fresh pictures start pouring in almost daily. With Chandrababu Naidu on his Mee Kosam Yatra across the state -- meeting people, addressing meetings and doing practically everything to impress every section of the society – lensmen are having a field day. The TDP photographer who takes Naidu’s pictures on the tour, digitally transmits them to the party headquarters and the photos are uploaded immediately on the party’s official website. Besides, enlarged prints of the pictures are taken and put on display at the Trust Bhavan. There is otherwise nothing special about this entire exercise. But, the pictures of Mee Kosam Yatra are looking very interesting. During his Yatra, Naidu has been doing one too many things, much to the amusement of one and all. He tilled land, cradled infants, took to the wheel of a lorry, drove an autorickshaw, tried his hand at weaving, ironed clothes, cut paddy crop and what not… donned many an artisan’s cap to drive home the point that he was, after all, their man. Though he walked into a saloon, Naidu did not do anything except interact with the barber. All these pictures were promptly put on show at the TDP office after the newspapers prominently published them. While almost all pictures looked “routine,” one particular picture attracted everyone’s attention – and snide comments as well. Here Naidu was standing below a palm tree glancing at a toddy-tapper who was climbing down the tree. Naidu later sipped the toddy offered and thanked the toddy-tapper. He, however, did not attempt to climb the tree and try his hand at toddy tapping. “Why did he not climb the tree when he did everything else everywhere,” one wag wondered. Another scribe was quick to react with a sharp reply: “No advance security check was conducted on top of the tree. So, his security personnel did not allow Naidu to accomplish even this task as well.” Now, with Naidu’s yatra in its final lap, one wonders what other role is left for him to don!

No comments: