TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s padayatra reminds one of John Bunyan’s allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress, in which Christian, an everyman character undertakes an arduous and daunting journey from his hometown, the ‘City of Destruction’ (this world), to the ‘Celestial City’ (heaven) atop Mount Zion.
Naidu during his ongoing ‘Vastunna Mee Kosam’ walkathon is trying his hand at every work done in rural areas so as to regain his credibility. It is not clear whether he is warming his way into the hearts of the people or is just invoking sympathy for a person who is doing silly things while frantically trying to regain power.
The Congress took a dig at Naidu’s antics and said that this was his way of atoning for his sins of not doing anything for the people during his nine long years as chief minister of the state. Congress minister S Shailanath said, “Naidu’s padayatra is his reparation. But this repentance may not cleanse his sins.”
Naidu defended all his actions and said, “I am doing this to tell the people that I care for their traditional crafts and professions. New life has to be breathed into them by making them profitable.”
One day the TDP chief joins farmers and ploughs fields. He even helps women labourers in sifting chaff from grain. After that he rears sheep like a shepherd. The next day, he climbs palm trees and collects toddy into a pot and offers it to villagers. After that he beats drums and plays flute to identify himself with the common man.
On the Christmas day, the TDP president took part in the celebrations. He appeared as Santa Claus, giving gifts to children, in Sultanabad mandal of Karimnagar district. When he walked across the Muslim dominated mandals in Nizamabad and Adilabad districts, Naidu wore the traditional Muslim cap and even offered prayers in mosques and darghas. While walking through Bodhan Mandal in Nizamabad district, he mended a punctured bicycle tyre. After that he drove auto rickshaws and wove baskets. In Buddipadu village of Mahbubnagar district, Naidu played the role of a cobbler and tried repairing footwear.
No one knows whether the TDP chief's padayatra will really help him regain power in 2014. But his walkathon is for now helping Naidu try his hand in every traditional craft.
The Sunday Standard