Rajakumari, “moves” to first to conquer and lose later!

 - D Vishnumohan Rao

She is always seen as a mean identity to start with. Gradually, she magnifies her image and consolidates her position that tumbles off her rivals and competitors to conquer the position, what ever it might be. Thank God! She was always attempting for nominated positions. Unfortunately, after she takes charge of the position, some unforeseen happenings dethrone her from the beloved seat and her “moves” start for another chair clinching.

She is also a testimony to prove that persons with inherent political talent and skills will definitely make their place sooner or later, wherever they are. Nannapaneni Rajakumari is termed to be an expert in implementing strategies, politically and achieve her goal, whichever party she stepped into. She was seen bright in public life in all glittering ‘yellow’ shades right from the inception of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) by the founder president Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao. Pleasures showered on her when she was made chairperson of the women subsidiary of the TDP, then.

She had to lose and move out of the seat when the Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) versus Nadendla Bhaskar Rao (NBR) tussle broke open and NBR became the one month Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Hence, her first ‘move’ to conquer and lose later commenced. Rajakumari unloaded her off from the ‘cycle’ and shook hands with the ‘hand’. In Congress party’s state unit, she joined herself as an ordinary (loyal?) activist. Here her ‘moves’ went successful in a very short period and she became the president of the Mahila Congress state unit.

Again tables turned over displacing Rajakumari from the chair. With the ‘change’ of Pradesh Congress Committee president, the women wing chief’s chair was eyed at. Galla Aruna Kumari took over as Mahila Congress president dethroning Rajakumari. Almost destitute Rajakumari had to wait for right opportunity. She moved her strategies in a right way and joined the Telugu Desam Party again hanging the tri-colour flag of Congress to the wall and dusting off the ‘yellow’ to wear it again.

Rajakumari’s ‘moves’ came to light when she was again made the chairperson of the Telugu Mahila state president succeeding charming lady and cine actress turned Rajya Sabha member Jayaprada. One can never ignore her effort and loyalty to the party besides her commitment, dedication and decisiveness in ‘working’ for the party she is in, every time.

Expertise in public speaking, a boon

There will be scores of speakers on the pulpit whenever there is a political public meeting. Hardly handful speakers will be able to make the gathering listen and respond to their address. Though we may not attach pin drop silence at the public meetings, we can say making people clap in response to their leader’s extempore addressing style.

Rajakumari was branded for her spellbound speeches on the public platforms. It would be apt if we can say she is a waited speaker. May be this advantage attracted the Telugu Desam Party supremo and Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu.

Rajakumari rejoiced by rejoining the TDP before the 1999 Assembly and parliament elections. Her speeches during the canvassing on two or three occasions appeased the party president Nara Chandrababu Naidu and other ‘key’ portfolio holders. Since then, Naidu recognised her talents and made her as the publicity in-charge for the elections in 1999, for both Assembly and Parliamentary. She met the expectations of the leaders in fuelling and injecting enthusiasm into the cadres and was recognised as more and more ‘talkative figure’ in the party circles.

There is a weak point in her. Though she is an expert in vernacular language, Telugu, she miserably fails to communicate fluently in the modern and international language, English.

Sonia shelled Rajakumari for her ‘weakness’

After Mrs Sonia Gandhi took over as the president of the All India Congress Committee, trouble waters started flowing up for Rajakumari who was the then Mahila Congress’ state unit president in the state. Sonia can be interacted only through national and international languages. Rajakumari is incapacitated to do so due to her weakness in those languages. Sonia preferred to fill only those personalities from the regions of the country into the key committees who are fluent in languages.

The troubled waters flowed over Rajakumari and washed away her position, when Sonia was said to have instructed the state leaders to change the top brass including the Mahila Congress president. Sonia’s apprehension regarding this was, Rajakumari is ‘poor’ in the international language. Then, how could she discharge her duties when she is unable to interact with national and international leaders? Rajakumari knowing pretty well of the developments did not wait till the Congress committee showed her the way out, she resigned and quit Congress.

Did personal lunch pack promote her?

Some of the Telugu Desam Party activists including some of the leaders were discussing recently about the promotion of Rajakumari to the Telugu Mahila president’s position from an ordinary party worker.

The essence of the discussions were stating to be, during the latest round of the Assembly sessions Rajakumari prepared lunch for the Chief Minister and Party President Chandrababu Naidu and served him in his chamber at the Assembly premises. Regarding Rajakumari and her lunch sessions with the Chief Minister there was a little hue and cry in the security personnel and other cabinet colleagues of the CM.

(One of the leading dailies Deccan Chronicle during the sessions wrote that - … The Original madam’s sent lunch is waiting in the car. He accepts lunch brought by an ordinary activist {Rajakumari} of the party. Oh Yes! He is… he is… for the ordinary people but not for…)

Now there is an open discussion in the party circles and squares that her personal lunch packs to the Chief Minister promoted her to the Telugu Mahila president’s position hardly by one month. A question that raises here is whether the Telugu Mahila members who were serving the party incessantly accept and applause the decision of the party president or not. It is test of time again who cooperates with whom and how long.

Dynamic president likes dynamic penetration of Rajakumari into people?

It is generally accepted terminology that people who have the nature of penetrating into people faster and mingle with all levels of activists alike make them leaders. This is no exception to Telugu Desam too. The grass root activists know Rajakumari for her social behaviour and availability at the same time.

The previous president of the Telugu Mahila Jayaprada is not fancy to meet any one below the leader category. One of the reasons for this, Jayaprada being an actress with craze in people, she restricted herself to meet only the top brass of the party. She fell short in many ways for her inability to meet ordinary or rock bottom party workers at any point of time. Another reason can be sighted for this is her inexperience in politics.

The present president Rajakumari, of course, is a seasoned politician. She is expert to hoist the required flag at necessary time tuning. Her exposure to politics trained her whom to take care of and whom to step on to reach higher. May be, according to observers, President Chandrababu Naidu handed over the seat to Rajakumari anticipating to utilise her experience and expertise for the development of the (better) half of the party unit, Telugu Mahila.

However, there is no doubt that Rajakumari is fit for the position. Eventually, the million-dollar question is whether her appointment, when the party is losing ground drastically, would benefit the party or not?

--Translated by S V L Narasimha Swamy

Disclaimer