Recently, Chandrababu Naidu surprised one and all when he tweeted birthday wishes to mega star Chiranjeevi.
In the film industry, the Kammas look upon the Kapus as a nuisance whereas politically, they are always at rivalry with the Reddys.
Chandrababu’s gesture was amusing because he never remembered Chiranjeevi’s birthday during the five years he was Chief Minister.
Why then this new found love for Chiru? The answer is not hard to guess. The 2019 election result was more a referendum on the Kammas than the TDP.
Kamma casteism had reached such an all-time high that people decimated their Party in the polls.
Even recently, Galla Jaydev was lamenting the fact that an unfair ‘casteist tag’ was affixed to the TDP and a virulent campaign carried out against the Party leading to its defeat. It was not an unfair tag, it was the truth.
Therefore, the TDP has now embarked upon a campaign of shedding this unsavory image as a part of which it is now reaching out to the likes of Chiru and others.
Having said that, we have the recent arrest of TDP ‘paid artiste’ Shekhar Chowdary who uploaded videos on social media criticising YS Jagan and Irrigation Minister Anil Kumar Yadav.
Shekhar Chowdary posing as a farmer spoke demeaningly of Anil Kumar Yadav’s community and the TDP leaders like Galla Jaydev wonder why their Party is referred to as highly casteist.
This incident proves beyond doubt that there is absolutely no change in the Kamma mindset and their attitude towards the Telugu society.
All said and done, can a leopard change its spots?