edited by: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Update: February 25, 2023, 19:10 IST
YSRTP chief YS Sharmila’s ‘Praja Prasthanam’ padayatra – an epic journey he undertook over a period of one-and-a-half years – is set to end on March 5 in Palayar. (Image: @YS Sharmila/Twitter)
The main purpose of all these visits is to show why there should be a regime change in Telangana. All parties have alleged corruption and lashed out at Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s “autocratic rule” during these walkathons.
Padayatra, or walkathon, has long been a game-changer in Telugu politics. As the assembly elections draw near, leaders of all major political parties in Telangana have covered various distances to reach out to the people.
While the BJP successfully completed five phases of the ‘Praja Sangram Yatra’ last year, Telangana Congress chief A Revanth Reddy is on his ‘Hath Se Hath Jodo Yatra’ from February 7, and YSRTP chief YS Sharmila’s ‘Praja Prasthanam’ padayatra – An epic journey she undertook over a period of one-and-a-half years – scheduled to end on March 5 in Palaire. Telugu Desam Party leader Nara Lokesh began his 4,000-km ‘Yuvagalam’ padayatra in Andhra Pradesh in January.
The main objective of all these visits was to show the people why there should be a regime change in Telangana. All parties have alleged corruption in government deals, lashed out at Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s “autocratic rule” and promised to bring back the “old glory days”.
E Venkatesu, Professor of Political Science, Hyderabad Central University, explained the charm of the padayatra.
“Padyatra is a Gandhian technical tool for electoral mobilization of the community. Mahatma Gandhi used it during the freedom struggle to spread his message and it is still a powerful tool. Although there has been an explosion of media like print and electronic in the recent years, you can capture only 3 to 4 percent vote bank through these channels. Padyatra is a good way to get closer to people. Venkatesu said, it brings you in front of the voter.
He said: “You get to know about the issues, challenges and matters of politics. These visits were made by YS Rajasekhara Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu before the bifurcation of the state. After the partition, Jagan Mohan Reddy (YSRCP), Sharmila ( YSRTP), Bandi Sanjay Kumar (BJP), Revanth (Congress) and Nara Lokesh (TDP). Historically, it has been observed that the traveling party has come to power. YS Rajasekhara Reddy after undertaking a padyatra And later his son Jagan Mohan came to power.This in a way shows the maturity of Telugu voters who want to take a closer look at the capabilities of their leaders.
However, the professor said that the padayatra was helping to spread the hegemony of the dominant caste in Telugu politics. It was either the Reddys, or the Kamma castes, who undertook these yatras. Second, they were being used by dynastic parties as mobilization tools, he said.
Rajasekhara did and his son and daughter followed him. The same goes for Naidu and his son Lokesh, Venkatesh said.
The ruling party, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, has never organized any padyatra. It forged its own path by forging alliances with other parties and launching a separate Telangana movement.
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