NTR Junior has Congress, PRP in a spin

SRIKAKULAM: With the young Nandamuri scion, NTR Jr, completing a hugely successful tour of Srikakulam and now all set to roll out in Vizianagaram Sunday, both the Congress and the Praja Rajyam Party are in a spin.

And needless to say, the Telugu Desam is breathing much easier, after being winded by the blow from Praja Rajyam Party chief Chiranjeevi whose recent Praja Ankita Yatra saw several yellow leaders leave the party.

The party, however, is leaving nothing to chance and everyone, right from high command elements and NTR Jr’s personal staff down to the cadres is working hard to make the Chaitanya Yatra another grand success.

And the young man has what it takes to work the masses -- body language, simplicity of speech, and focus on Congress corruption without direct digs against the Praja Rajyam or its honcho.

The turn of events has brought smiles to the face of TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu who, appearing on a live programme on a private TV channel complimented NTR Jr.

Earlier, during the final day of his roadshow in Srikakulam, NTR Junior deplored the Congress’ lack of propriety in not honouring senior leader and former prime minister, the late PV Narasimha Rao, by naming any major project in the State after him, if not the international airport.

Addressing the gathering from his “chariot”, NTR Jr declaimed: “Congress means corruption, and corruption means Congress. Without bribes no work can be done in the State. The time has now come to change all that -- and the voters can do so by returning the TDP.” Making an indirect reference to PRP chief Chiranjeevi, the 25-year-old dude in khaki said that the TDP had already proved “social justice” by uplifting various communities and leaders in the state.

He cited K Yerrannaidu and K Pratibha Bharathi from the district among those who had benefited from the TDP’s social justice.