June 25 - Nara Chandrababu Naidu staged a protest at Durga temple in Vijayawada over demand to construct fly over in the city. The result and the attention the protest grabbed were apparently low. But, within moments the news spreadlike wildfire and turned viral on Internet and the reason being Lagadapati Rajagopal, who marched towards Babu's venue with his followers. He argued with the police, jostled and finally made it big in the news today. All he wanted was to meet Mr. Naidu and elucidate him the problems before the government for contruction of a bridge there. He successfully entered the news but what he presumably overlooked was his hungama indirectly benefitted Chandrababu Naidu. With today's episode, the sources, said Lagadapati Rajagopal tried to overshadow the chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana!

Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal is a known figure across the country as the young leader can be termed as the most successful leader in terms of hogging the limelight - even at the cost of his own party's future at times! Be it when Telangana movement outbroke or the recent rift between YSRC and Congress, Vijayawada MP ended up adding fuel to the fire in the name of 'public interest.' As an MP of the one of the most prominent cities in Andhra Pradesh, what Lagadapati Rajagopal did to Vijayawada was presumably low. But, the media sources said Rajagopal enjoys the limelight over controversies.

Cornering the Congress:

When the voting for bypolls was concluded, Lagadapati Rajagopal came out with statements that were more or less like an insult to the party. He predicted the results and said YSR Congress would make a clean sweep. Lagadapati was not an official spokesperson of the Congress party in the state. The analysts even said Lagadapati Rajagopal was an MP and he should apparently raise his voice on the local issues in the parliament and instead of that he was raising voices in the media.

His extra interest in local politics presumably turned fatal to Congress party in the state, opined political analysts. The people in Telangana region were not against Congress party in the state earlier until Lagadapati plunged into the scene. Lagadapati Rajagopal reportedly used Congress party as his defense and apparently projected his interests under the shade of the party. Analysts opined that the credit of Congress party losing its charm in Telangana region was reportedly because of Lagadapati Rajagopal. Had he not given statements that apparently disturbed the people in Telangana region, Congress would have come out with flying colours in Parakala assembly, added political observers.

Did Lagapati's statements at least benefit in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions? The answer would be a 'no' since it's known that 15 MLA seats were won by YSR Congress party. Lagadapati Rajagopal lashing out at Jaganmohan Reddy's mother, Vijayamma had cost Congress party dearly in Seemandhra region. When PCC chief was there to respond on the issue after discussing with the high command, there was no need for Rajagopal to make such swift statements in a fit of rage, said the observers in the state. It is known that any woman, who loses her husband in a plane crash and who hears her son being arrested would definately break into tears. And given the fact that Indians give lot of respect to women, any statement made by a politician against a woman would undoubtedly irk scores of people and the same happened in Jagan's story too.  Lagadapati Rajagopal should have maintained silence, said political observers.

Also, It is known that clashes took place earlier between Jagan's followers and Lagadapati's followers. So, whatever rift was running between the duo was more or less personal and Congress party had apparently no role to play in it. But, Lagadapati Rajagopal promptly responded to statements of Vijayamma. What he did was not against the law as he just expressed his fundamental right - right to freedom of speech and expression. But, that was apparently against the interests of the party. In fact, the sources said that even loyalists of Congress in several parts of Seemandhra region showed interest in YSR Congress during bypolls after Lagadapati Rajagopal making statements against Jaganmohan Reddy's mother.

Will Congress take any action on Lagadapati Rajagopal for apparently playing big role and talking on behalf of the party many a time is a million dollar question now. Meanwhile, sources said that there's a little time left over for Congress to introspect and if it doesn't correct certain leaders, it would end up losing its power in 2014. One has to keep fingers crossed to know what the action of Congress party would be in the wake of its defeat in bypolls.

Note: issued in the interest of the public

(AW Phani)

(Image courtesy: TV9)