Once again, Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has proved that he is a master in media management, irrespective of whether he is in power or in the opposition.
The way Naidu and his party could get the media coverage, especially in the national media, for his “Chalo Athmakur” rally on Wednesday has shown how meticulously he had planned to convey his version to the people through media.
For the last two days, Naidu’s publicity wing had been in touch with the national media reporters in Hyderabad and Delhi and feeding them with the information with regard to the so-called victims of alleged YSRC violence in Palnadu region, who had been taking shelter in the rehabilitation camp at Arandelpet in Guntur town.
They even made bus and flight arrangements to some national media persons – some to come to Naidu’s residence in Vundavalli and others to Atmakur, where Naidu planned to hold a rally. And the TDP succeeded in getting the maximum media coverage for Naidu.
Though the TDP chief was house-arrested and prevented from taking out the rally, the entire episode got the wide coverage in the media since morning. The national media houses even ran live blogs for his house arrest and his address to the media.
On the other hand, there was no such planning from the YSR Congress side. There was none in the party to direct the media wing on what to do to get the maximum coverage in the media houses.
Though YSRC announced that it would also take out a counter rally to Atmakuru, nobody approached the media for coverage. As a result, the focus of the media was only on Naidu’s residence.
Even a section of media closer to YSRC also sought to highlight anti-TDP propaganda, but not the pro-YSRC stand.
It is pretty evident that during the Jagan regime, the ruling party has absolutely no sync with the media, which had been its attitude right from the beginning of the launch of the party.
The anti-government mood being built up by the TDP in the media has had its impact on the YSRC as well.
It is time Jagan realise the importance of media management to get his version strongly taken into the people. Otherwise, whatever good he does for the people will be washed away in negative publicity.