Aside

Malladi Subbamma leaves many memories, especially for women like me associated with feminist thoughts during late 80s. At that time there were many versions of feminism – left feminism, right feminism and the extreme feminism and so on. And these feminist groups would be really segregated… One group looking down the other. (There would also be some elite feminist groups and when dealing with them or talking to them you had to be really on guard lest you uttered something politically wrong.) But, the greatness of Mallaadi Subbamma was she gave an impression of being so unaware of these differences… These hypes… artificialities, these foreign borrowed terminologies of feminism… That she spoke straight from her heart what she felt about the state of women… their problems or the policies Governments pursued for women.

She took part in each and every event however small or big. Most times she landed up at official meetings related to women’s issues, even without an invitation. Many thought her to be talking and dealing with women’s issues in an old fashioned way. But I have not seen any other woman working so sincerely and tirelessly as Malladi Subbamma. It looked like she spent each and every waking hour to mitigate the problems of women. The doors of her house were literally open for any women who sought shelter and help. She once told me she started this social service at the age of 17… Imagine almost 70 years of selfless, tireless and humble work she has put in for the cause of something that she believed in. Subbammagaru … Hyderabad and andhra pradesh will always remember you…RIP ∞

Aside

Last Sunday, as the results of the Congress poll debacle were pouring in, I was sitting with my father watching TV. My father, though not a political-illiterate – he is not a political-intellectual or pundit either. By political intellectualism I mean the kind of intelligence displayed by journalists, psephologists, analysts, etc. He is a simple soul who has been engaged in Central Government service for over 40 years and is now living a retired life for the last 20 years with a very very meagre income – without a provision for monthly pension.

Now a little bit of flashback… during my initial reporting days I had a habit of cross checking all my opinions with my mom and dad before actually putting them on paper (there were no computers then) Here is an example. When NT Rama Rao, the actor turned politician and architect of the present Telugu Desam Party, who was well into his seventies, suddenly announced that he was going to marry a woman 25 years younger to him, all his family and party opposed it tooth and nail, scared that the voters and die hard fans of NTR would not accept it and therefore his party would face a crushing defeat in the ensuing elections.

I was working as a reporter for ETV channel; and was wearing all sorts of leftist, idealist , feminist tags. NTR’s love affair had not hit the media by then; but was making rounds in private circles. When I came to know of it I called a person very close to NTR. That person ( who is now a Rajya Sabha Member,) tried to convince me at length on telephone about how the personal and political life of a public figure has to be looked at separately. I argued with him that for a politician all personal is public; so in the next elections voters would definitely go by NTR’s personal actions too.

On my next visit to my parents I put my ‘opinion’ ( thinking that were public opinion too ) before them. I narrated NTR’s love affair with as many negative connotations as I can, expecting that they would use the choicest of abuses like immoral brute, womanizer, pervert, etc. against him whom they revered as Lord Rama and Krishna all their lives. The coolest ever reaction came from my mom who even without lifting her head from the plate of raw rice that she was cleaning said – ” what’s wrong with that… indeed one needs a companion not when you are young… but in your old age. ”

Thereafter, NTR not only married Laxmi Parvati, he canvassed with her extensively and won the election with a thumping majority and became Chief Minister again. That is the mind and pulse of the common voter – very realistic…down to earth…uncomplicated… and to the point.

Last Sunday watching the Congress rout in the four states, I saw a great sense of satisfaction and achievement on my father’s face. When I innocently asked him what could be the reasons for such a dismal performance of the Congress he replied in the following order – Corruption, Price rise, Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi . So far no issues … as the Congress is bound to face many more ‘shocks’ in the days ahead. But the second part of his reply was what immensely worried me … when he said ” this country needs a dictator like Narendra Modi to set right all the mess. ” For once I prayed that this average – common voter’s wish would not come true. ∞

What is the game plan ?

Want to know if anyone has done a behavioral study of TDP-cum-PRP-cum-Congress Minister C Ramachandraiah. Why does he periodically come up with these ‘reiterating’ statements that K Chiranjeevi is more than qualified to become the next Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh ? And of course this would be immediately followed with a condemnation by Mr Chiranjeevi himself that he is more than happy serving as Minister at the Center. Wonder what is the tacit understanding between the two ?

The best part of this duet is that, none – either from the Congress or any other political party, seem to take notice of what Mr Ramachandraiah is saying. I do not have much understanding of the political capabilities of Mr Ramachandraiah, except that I used to regularly see him in the TDP office, quietly going in and out of Chandrababu Naidu‘s chamber in the Assembly, when I first began reporting in 1997 or so. Unlike the vociferous gang comprising Indra Reddy, Madhava Reddy, Muddu Krishnama Naidu, Chandrababu Naidu and some others, Ramachandraiah used to be very silent and when he addressed a press conference too, he used to deal the issues with intelligence and information; rather than resort to baseless diatribe against the Congress party which was in power then. I have heard some of my journalist friends describing Ramachandraiah as a sensitive and talented politician who represents the strong Balija Community of Rayalaseema region. They predicted that he would have a very bright future in the TDP.

When he quit TDP to ‘foolishly’ embrace Chiranjeevi and his PRP, I wondered what has become of all his political acumen and intelligence; why was he tugging himself along with a novice, selfish and weakling like Chiranjeevi ?

Coming to the present, let’s think for a while that Mr Ramachandraiah has acute problems of adjusting with the multifarious Congress party and its leaders. I don’t understand how that problem can be solved by eulogizing Mr Chiranjeevi at periodic intervals ? On the other hand I feel such maverick statements will further isolate Mr Ramachandraiah from the Congressmen who have till date not accepted Chiranjeevi and his herd as their own.

Or if Mr Ramachandraiah wants to grab attention as a BC leader, then how eulogizing Chiranjeevi who is a forward caste Kapu, serve his purpose ? Or if he is floating the name of Chrianjeevi as a part of larger game plan for the future; then the question arises as to who in the Congress party is ready to accept or support such a proposal; except in the rarest of rare case where Chiranjeevi with all his charisma manages to get an impressive number of seats for the Party – at least in the two Godavari districts.

Above all, the nagging question that refuses to still leave my mind is, is Mr Ramachandraiah such a child to not know the calibre of Chiranjeevi and the complexities of the Congress Party to keep on recommending the name of the former for the Chief minister-ship. And if he is doing it on purpose and if he is not alone – then who else is in it ?

Why did Jagan do this to Konathala…

Since yesterday, many Telugu channels are breaking news about why the future Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Jagan Mohan Reddy has behaved so ‘rutheless and ungrateful’ with one of his trusted aides Konathala Ramakrishna. The issue being – Jagan has admitted one of Telugu Desam party’s important leaders Dadi Veerabhadra Rao and his son into his party – the YSRCP. Do not know, whether the media is wantonly making the issue ‘murkier’ or the ‘news’ genuinely deserves the coverage it has been getting for the last 48 hours. For Konathala too, what better way to vent his anger, disappointment, frustration, whatever.., than ‘use’ the television channels to his utmost advantage !

Leaving aside the media ‘guess work’ about Jagan’s political strategies and all, I look at the entire issue this way – First of all more than Jagan it is Dadi who has to be hailed for his political acumen and strategy. Because with a single stroke, more than his political future, he has paved a smooth passage for his young son, whom he tugged along into the YSRCP. That is his biggest satisfaction as a father. After all, a real politician is one who keeps his ears open to the voices of the people and act swiftly. Of course, who can be a better viewer of the political future of the TDP and its leader Chandrababu, than its own seniors like Dadi ?

Now, why did Jagan antagonize his trusted man Konathala by admitting ‘political opportunists’ like Dadi, even at the risk of attracting adverse publicity ? There could be several reasons. Foremost, may be he wanted to send a strong message to not only outside parties like the TDP, Congress and even the TRS; but also to his own Party men and women, who have become complacent and taking their positions in the Party and constituencies for granted. To such men and women, he has sent the strong note – ” Dear party men/women, don’t take the Party future or your future in Party as certain. Also, don’t think that the field is entirely yours. What the Party is now is not sufficient to achieve what we want to become in the future. You have to make sacrifices and if necessary accommodate several persons from several parties. Resolve differences and work unitedly.”

Most important, it looks like Jagan also wanted to send an invitation to his arch rival, the TDP, and also the Congress and even the TRS, that the doors of YSRCP are not yet closed and that he is more than eager to welcome and assimilate them, even if they happened to be bitter critics of his Party and family till the previous day.