Meanwhile, an MP who recently resigned from the YSRCP compared PM Modi to Hanuman, who graced Arjuna's crest in Kurukshetra.
Pawan Kalyan, Chandrababu Naidu in Tadepalligudem meeting. (Supplied)
With the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections less than two months away in Andhra Pradesh, it is all about the mythological references in political leaders’ fierce speeches.
Jagan invoked the Chakravyuha — the multi-tiered military formation in which Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu was trapped and killed by the Kauravas.
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu called YS Jagan a “bluffmaster” and a “psycho” in a counter to his mythological references, while Pawan Kalyan claimed he was the Vamana avatar.
“In this battle, I am not Abhimanyu who fell prey to the opposition’s deceit. I am Arjuna,” declared Jagan, drawing thunderous applause in his Siddham outreach programme
The obvious reference was to the TDP-Jana Sena joining hands to take on him
Then there was his sister YS Sharmila, who has taken over as the president of the Andhra Pradesh unit of the Congress.
Unlike his father, Abhimanyu only knew how to breach the chakravyuha, not to exit it.
It led to his demise at the hands of stalwarts from the enemy side.
Then there was rebel YSRCP MP Kanumuru Raghu Rama Krishna Raju from Narasapuram, who recently resigned from the party.
Rama Krishna Raju attended a joint meeting and referred to mythological stories in predicting that the BJP would join forces with TDP-JSP.
“Many people might be wondering why I came here right after leaving that bad (YSRCP) party, even though I haven’t joined either the TDP or the JSP,” he said.
He explained, “Two leaders have put their egos aside and come together, to protect the state and defeat YS Jagan. So, I have decided to join this force and announce that I will contest again from the Narasapuram parliamentary seat. However, I will announce the party later.”
He added, “I have been saying for the past two years that Pawan Kalyan and Chandrababu will unite, though many doubted my prediction.”
He remarked that like Krishna and Arjuna, both Pawan Kalyan and Chandrababu Naidu were united in this fight to defeat the 151 Abhinava Kauravas (referring to 151 YSRCP MLAs) in Kurukshetra.
He also said that in the original Kurukshetra, the Kapiraja — Hanuman from the Ramayana, being referred to as the king of monkeys — sat above the saffron flag with Arjuna and Krishna.
Rama Krishna Raju said that would be Prime Minister Narendra Modi this time.
Referring to Pawan Kalyan’s earlier remarks that he had been schooled by the BJP top brass for an alliance with the TDP, Raju said he was expecting a great miracle in the next four days, referring to the prediction of the BJP joining the TDP-JSP alliance.
Meanwhile, former CM Chandrababu Naidu accused Jagan of being a bluffmaster.
He said Jagan had promised to bring special status to the state if given 25 MP seats, besides making commitments to ban alcohol and abolish the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
However, these promises have not been fulfilled, claimed Naidu, the first chief minister of divided Andhra Pradesh.
He went on to assert that Jagan had dismantled the progress he had meticulously achieved.
He also criticised the current regime in the state, labelling it a “psycho administration”, a situation that he believed was unprecedented in any other state.
Naidu lamented that Jagan commenced his administration by demolishing the Praja Vedika, a structure built by his government next to his residence.
In addition, Naidu addressed the controversial film tickets issue, accusing Jagan of distancing himself from prominent figures in the film industry due to ego.
He expressed sadness over the alleged insult directed at Megastar Chiranjeevi and acclaimed director SS Rajamouli, who visited the chief minister and pleaded with him to not cap the prices of film tickets.
Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan claimed that he was the Vamana avatar — an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology who defeated the demon king Bali and brought about balance in the world.
Calling for a war in the run-up to the elections, Pawan Kalyan said that he would do to Jagan what Vamana did to Bali.
As the story goes, Bali was performing a ritual to conquer the world when Vishnu approached him in the guise of a Brahmin — who were more than welcome at such occasions, and whose blessings were thought to bring around success.
Bali asked him what he wanted, and the Brahmin asked for as much land as three steps of his could cover. Because Vishnu was a little person in this incarnation, an overconfident Bali readily agreed to the request.
Vamana then transformed himself into a giant, so that his first step fell on Earth and the second covered the rest of the Universe. He then asked Bali where he could take his third step. Bali admitted defeat.
Actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, however, seemed to have a more direct approach when he asserted that while Jagan was proclaiming “Siddham” — the name of his rally — they would respond with “Yuddham” (war or battle).
He claimed that his predictions about Jagan as a criminal were accurate, and that Jagan received widespread support from various communities in 2019 despite such warnings.
Pawan Kalyan also expressed regret over Jagan’s actions, likening them to Hitler’s treatment of people from any ideology, be they socialists or Communists.
He highlighted the arrest and detention of Chandrababu Naidu, a seasoned politician with four decades of experience, for 53 days as a cause for concern.
Further speaking on his criticism regarding seat-sharing with the TDP, Pawan Kalyan questioned the party’s growing strength over the past 10 years, emphasising only his hard-earned money and efforts were utilised for the party despite him losing in two places (Bhimavaram, Gajuwaka) in 2019.
He called on true followers and supporters to stand by him and believe his strategy.
He emphasised that his party was still growing, and handing over the state to Jagan over alliance differences was not an option.
Pawan Kalyan concluded by stating that friendship with him would last until death, while enmity would persist until the opposite party’s demise, amid resounding applause.
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