Vijayawada: Water resources minister Ambati Rambabu’s energetic steps and dance steps on Sunday, a repeat of what he did last year, turned the social media abuzz in Sattenapalli region during the Sankranti celebrations.
The Steppes, a traditional dance form, was the talk of the town after the minister liberally entertained his audience. His vibrant steps and rhythmic movements, synchronised with the beats of the festival, captivated not only the local audience but went viral too. The viral sensation turned Rambabu into a cultural icon, transcending political boundaries.
The minister had stated after completion of his dance at Sattenapalli on Tuesday that a special song was written in his trolling name Sambarala Rambabu and it was composed with attractive music for this Sankranti.
He had claimed that he would be Sambarala Rambabu during Sankranti and claimed that there was nothing wrong in a minister dancing with the public.
The minister said, “The Andhra people will burn the Telugu Desam and the Jana Sena in the 2024 elections like they burn the Sankranti bonfire. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would again win the elections,” he claimed.
For the second time, the minister added colour to festive celebrations with his dancing steps during the Bhogi on Sunday.
The minister was at his jovial best during the celebrations at Sattenapalli in Palnadu district.
Notably, when Rambabu danced last year, it was criticised by Jana Sena chief and popular hero Pawan Kalyan. Rambabu’s dance during the Sankranti celebrations then had gone viral on social media. The steps were imitated by actor Prudhvi Raj in actor-politician Pawan Kalyan’s supernatural fantasy film ‘Bro’.
The comedian played the character Sambarala Syambabu in the movie. The film had a dance sequence featuring Prudhvi Raj, who was wearing clothes similar to what Rambabu wore while dancing.
In response, Rambabu had alleged that Pawan Kalyan deliberately designed the role and dance sequence to insult and belittle him. The minister then launched a personal attack on the actor, saying he would make films on Pawan Kalyan and his multiple wives.
The minister led a group of tribal women and a group of youngsters to dance to the tunes of some popular Tollywood numbers. Sporting a T-shirt, the 65-year-old shook a leg like a young hero amid lusty cheers from his supporters.
The minister danced in wild abandon this Sunday around the Bhogi fire, which marked the beginning of the three-day Sankranti festival.
