ANANTAPUR: The centuries-old culture of ‘factionalism’ with its roots set in the medieval history is grinding to a halt in many villages of the Rayalaseema region. Mental diversions, professional pursuits and a resultant change of mindset are evident in the new generation.
This includes even those from families with a long history of local rivalries. Youths are now pressing their elders in the family to stay clear of faction politics.
Normally, gram panchayat polls had a history riddled with factionalism, clashes and murders. A majority of the families with a faction-background however sent their children for higher studies; more so after the turn of this century.
These children settled down in big cities as software engineers or in other professions. They are forcing their parents to keep off factionalism.
The last general elections witnessed compromise deals between faction leaders at the top levels including former ministers and MLAs in many parts of Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool districts.
Such trends continued even in the present gram panchayat polls. Jammalamadugu, a hardcore faction-ridden area in Kadapa district as also Tadipathri and Penukonda in Anantapur district had a change of mind. C. Adinarayna Reddy and Ramasubba Reddy worked for Telugu Desam while Bogathi Naryana Reddy, a close aide of the JC Diwakar Reddy family, joined hands with his rival K. Pedda Reddy in the last general assembly polls. Political borderlines are blurring.
Senior leader J.C. Diwakar Reddy’s family has been with the Telugu Desam for long. He faced cases in the murder of Paritala Ravindra. Bogathi Narayana Reddy had openly declared two years ago that he would keep away from faction rivalry.
Slain warlord Maddelacheruvu Suri’s wife G. Bhanumathi went to settle down in Bengaluru and keep herself away from faction politics.
Meanwhile, local leaders of all parties are evidently alert and sending their children away to towns and cities. A former Congress leader from Kambadur mandal, whose family had been into faction rivalry and who lost his brother five years ago, said about four children in his joint family are now working with the software industry in Bengaluru. The new generation has restricted the elders in the family from continuing with faction feuds back home.
“We were strictly directed by our children not to indulge in faction rivalry, but they have no problem if we continue with normal politics.” Else, migrate Bengaluru, children tell their parents.
Previously, youngsters forcibly entered into faction rivalry by way of inheritance of a vicious culture from their previous generation, led groups in villages and even eliminated rivals. However, police efforts to check such crimes and undertake awareness programmes helped control factionalism in a majority of the villages,” Anantapur SP Satya Esubabu has observed.
Kapatralla, a faction village, had a drastic change after former SP A. Ravikrishna adopted the village four years ago.
