Kadapa, May 04: The photographs and cutouts of the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, and the party’s general secretary, Mr Rahul Gandhi, dominated the Congress electioneering in the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly seats, which go to polls on May 8.
Only two in 10 campaign materials published by the Congress carry the photograph of late chief minister, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.
Apart from photographs of Mrs Gandhi and Mr Rahul, the portraits of the PCC chief, Mr D. Srinivas, the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and contesting candidates, Mr Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, (Pulivendula) and Dr D.L. Ravindra Reddy (Kadapa) figured in all the campaign material including banners, placards and hoardings.
The photographs of YSR appeared only in some badges and banners. Even most of the newspaper advertisements issued by the local Congress leaders hailing the visit of Mr Kiran to Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency did not feature the photograph of YSR.
Much to the chagrin of YSR’s admirers, the photographs of ministers, who are deputed for campaign based on their caste and social background, were published prominently in newspaper ads and campaign banners.
Only in Pulivendula, where YSR’s admirers are apparently in large numbers, the Congress leadership printed YSR’s photograph on tri-colour scarves, badges and buntings.
Portraits of new and young leaders also appeared in the campaign material in a bid to snub Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
At the three public meetings, the CM addressed, songs highlighting the welfare schemes launched by YSR were played on loud speakers, without naming him.
The songs were tuned in such a way to project Mr Kiran as the real brain behind the welfare projects like waiver of bank loans etc.
On the other hand, the campaign material of Mr Jagan and his mother Ms Vijayalakshmi (Pulivendula) centered on the portraits of Rajasekhar Reddy.
–Agencies