Celeb drive for Mission Dakshin
In South India, we like our celebrities. They are revered, worshipped in temples, and made chief ministers too. And the BJP perhaps underlined this characteristic while choosing the celebrities for nomination as members of Rajya Sabha. Each of the four nominees is a living legend.
Ilaiyaraaja from Tamil Nadu is a virtuoso music composer. Kerala’s Payyoli Express, PT Usha, is the queen of the Indian track. Karnataka’s Veerendra Heggade is a renowned philanthropist and Dharmasthala administrator. Telangana’s KV Vijayendra Prasad is a leading story writer. He gained iconic status for Bahubali and the historical blockbuster, RRR, both directed by his son, Rajamouli. Born in Andhra Pradesh and living in Hyderabad, Prasad belongs to both states.
The nominations send two messages to the South. First, genuine legends will represent their respective states in the upper house of Parliament. Two, the stature of the nominees tends to dismiss any notion that the choices were merely political. Three, any credit for the nominations goes to the BJP.
Lastly, that the BJP neglects no social class anywhere in the country. If that serves the party’s political purpose, so be it. In any case, it is seriously engaged in expanding its presence in South India. It is at present largely confined to Karnataka and Puducherry where it is part of a coalition government.
It is a coincidence that the recent national executive of the BJP held in Hyderabad discussed this issue as part of its ‘Mission Dakshin’ (Mission South). The party’s pan-India presence is just short of a foothold in the South. The nominations may be the ideal launch pad for the BJP’s multi-fold outreach, especially in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka which face assembly elections before 2024.