Political parties milking Sankranti for forthcoming assembly, LS polls
Vijayawada/Visakhapatnam: Main political parties of Andhra Pradesh are competing with each other in publicly organising the three-day Sankranti celebrations in view of the approaching elections to the State Legislative Assembly and the country’s Lok Sabha.
Majority of public representatives, whether belonging to ruling YSRC or opposition Telugu Desam, BJP and Jana Sena are trying to get the support of women by offering them household items and clothes, calling them Sankranti gifts.
Incidentally, women voters are higher compared to men in many constituencies of the 26 districts in Andhra Pradesh in the 2024 elections.
Majority of the YSRC legislators and ministers are conducting lavish Sankranti Sambaralu in their respective constituencies. For example, water resources minister for Ambati Rambabu is holding the Sambaralu in his Sattenapalli assembly constituency in which Narasaraopet MP Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu and MLC Marri Rajasekhar and other leaders participated.
Traditional games and cultural programmes, including Rangoli by women, and cockfights are being conducted. Prizes and gifts are being distributed to all the participants. The ruling party leaders are also highlighting the welfare schemes of the state government development of AP under the leadership of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Responding to criticism of politicisation of Sankranti, minister Rambabu maintained that every leader wishes to mingle with masses during a traditional festival.
Significantly, the newly appointed coordinators of YSRC in several assembly segments are distributing pressure cookers and sarees in gift packs at every house for Sankranti.
TD leaders are also following suit. It may be recalled that three people had been killed when TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu had been distributing sarees in Guntur during the Sankranti festival in 2023. Thus, this year, TDP is handing over sarees and essentials at houses to avoid any untoward incidents.
In Visakhapatnam, all political parties are trying to attract women by organising rangoli competitions during the Sankranti celebrations. BJP has taken the lead in this race with its Rajya Sabha MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao organising rangoli competitions at the AU Engineering College Grounds, where an entire village scenario has been created.
To make the event a big hit, GVL has roped in film actors and Jabardasth TV show actors to be present for the various cultural programmes he is organising at the college grounds.
GVL's Rajya Sabha term is coming to an end. He has set his eyes on the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat. He is thus organising the celebrations on a grand scale to carve a niche. Incidentally, GVL’s cut-outs are visible everywhere on the grounds.
But YSRC is not lagging behind in attempting the Sankranti celebrations on a grander scale. Pedada Ramani Kumari, a member of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University governing body, presided over the festival celebrations at the YSRC Yendada office on Saturday. On the other hand, Telugu Desam Party leaders are organising bonfires at the TDP offices. Their theme is, “Let's burn Jagan's government in Bhogimantalu.”
