When Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a handshake with Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the national committee meeting of Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav in New Delhi on Saturday, the yellow media went ga ga over it.
It was a front-page story for both Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy as if it was the most significant national development of the day.
The fact was that it was just a courtesy handshake and exchange of pleasantries by the Prime Minister with everybody.
In fact, Modi had a handshake with everybody, including his bitter critic, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was also present there.
Maybe, he had a chat for a minute or two with Naidu, who had come to Delhi for a long time.
More than a courtesy gesture, it had no political significance to the same. But the yellow media sought to project it as an indication to the changing stand of Modi towards the TDP in general and Naidu in particular.
A section of media has also reported that the BJP national leadership is getting ready to restore ties with the TDP, following the interference of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) who has apparently seen the revival of fortunes of the yellow party.
That is why the Andhra BJP leaders have started talking positively about the TDP and state BJP president Somu Veerraju even referred to Naidu as a “visionary,” this section of media argued.
This campaign by the yellow media seems to have made Jana Sena Party chief and power star Pawan Kalyam more jubilant than anybody else.
Hitherto, the Jana Sena chief had not been making any statements for or against the BJP leadership or even PM Modi.
But on Monday, Pawan Kalyan showered praises on Modi for his encouraging and inspiring words to pacify woman wrestler Pooja Gehlot, who lost the gold medal in the ongoing Commonwealth Games by a narrow margin.
He also praised the Prime Minister for giving moral strength to the space scientists when their Chandrayan-2 project failed.
“It is not about showering praises on the people when they achieve successes. The true leader is a one, who backs the people during their failures. Modi is one such leader,” Pawan praised.
