In a tit-for-tat move, senior YSR Congress party leader and state civil supplies minister Kodali Venkateshwara Rao alias Nani on Thursday announced boycott of what he called five “yellow media” organisations.
The move comes exactly two days after the Telugu Desam Party announced blacklisting of four media houses for their alleged anti-TDP and pro-Jagan Mohan Reddy stand.
Nani told reporters that he was completely boycotting four media organisations – ABN-Andhra Jyothy Telugu television news channel, Andhra Jyothy Telugu daily, Eenadu Telugu daily, ETV and TV5 channels with immediate effect.
It is not immediately known whether Nani made the announcement in his personal capacity as the minister or on behalf of the entire YSRC as directed by party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has been castigating these “yellow” media organisations for their pro-TDP and anti-YSRC government stand, whenever there is an opportunity.
However, Nani asked all the YSRC functionaries to ban these pro-TDP media outfits. He told them not to invite the representatives of these organisations to YSRCP programmes, press conferences and interviews.
“I hereby direct all the ministers, MLAs, YSRC official spokespersons and other party leaders not to speak to these five media houses and their reporters,” the minister said.
On Tuesday, the TDP also decided to stay away from any programme to be conducted by four media channels – Sakshi, TV-9, I-Dream and Prime9, as the party felt these channels have taken a complete anti-TDP stand and were attacking the TDP at the behest of the ruling YSRC.
In a communication to the TDP MLAs and in-charges of parliamentary and assembly constituencies, state TDP committee leaders, members and all the other party functionaries, the party leadership communicated that these channels have been kept under black list.
The party requested all these leaders not to attend any interviews or debates to be conducted by these channels.