Rail engine’ chugs along in Palacole

With 10 days left for conclusion of the second phase of election campaign, Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi’s ‘rail engine’ is yet to gain momentum on his home turf.

Rural folks appear ignorant of PR’s chief ministerial candidate having filed his nomination from their area. “I know Chiranjeevi only as a cinema hero. But I do not know if he is contesting from our area”, says Garagalamma, a 50-year-old farm worker of Vedangi, a delta village with predominant presence of Kapus and Settibalijas. Facing a small gathering of her Settibalija community members addressed by PR leader Harirama Jogaiah and district convener K.P.N. Satyaprasad on the premises of a village temple, Garagalamma observes, “What do I know, after all? I am an illiterate without a TV set.” Jayalakshmi, her neighbour is under the impression that Gubbala Tammaiah belonging to her community, is the PR candidate though he is contesting for the Narsapur Lok Sabha).

Electioneering in the PR camp is still on a low-key here. Even as the mega star, is on a gruelling mid-summer campaign trail all over the State, the responsibility of his victory from the segment, also his in-laws’ place, is left to Mr. Jogaiah.

The ‘road map’ laid out by Mr. Jogaiah, billed as ‘Apara Chanakya’ in the area for his political moves, for Mr. Chiranjeevi’s victory is yet to take a concrete shape and galvanise the party into action. The PR campaign in West Godavari is one-man-show headed by Mr. Jogaiah. He was instrumental in whisking away Mr. Chiranjeevi to Palacole, Six teams were constituted for campaigning in the constituency. Koppineedi Venkateswara Rao, brother-in-law is entrusted with a team in Palacole town. Mr. Jogaiah’s alleged sectarian approach and his strict list of do’s and don’ts allegedly dampens the spirit of the party’s‘Young Turks’.