Is there any impact on the campaign of wives of the candidates?

• Campaign pattern of wives is often a name-sake
• Bhatti’s wife Nandini is making a difference in the campaign
• Her name is popular along with her husband Bhatti’s in Madhira
• North Indian status helped her a lot in the campaign
• She mingles with women and men, speaks in Telangana slang
• She does not know other factors like caste, creed and religion of the voters there
• Nandini became familiar by looking after all the logistics during Bhatti’s Padayatra
• She runs the padayatra with minimum resources by using her acumen

Involving spouses in election campaign is not only a common practice but also non-serious matter to discuss. The campaign by wives will have a little impact because many of the wives of the candidates consider their role is limited only for campaigning. They act as housewives after the job is finished.

When the Prime Post reporter visits  Madhira constituency in Khammam district, Madhira Congress candidate was in Delhi  participating election committee meetings there. Prime Post phoned CLP leader and enquired about election committee meeting details. We thought that there will be no serious campaign in Madhira because of Bhatti’s absense. When we asked about the campaign of Congress in the constituency, Veeraswamy, party activist, took us to a locality in Madhira municipality. I called Nandini after she walked out of a house and she wished and involved me in her campaign. She explained the six promises made by the Congress to the inmates of the house in an explicit manner by presenting a brochure. Her campaign is not in hurly-burly manner and she used to spend four to five minutes at every house. She enquired about the health of elders in the house and studies of the children.

K Annapurna, a housewife, said, “Nandini used to call us with smiling face always. She became member of our family and she used to receive well whenever we met her. Conversation with her gives a good feel to us”.

Also read: Is the Congress list in Telangana ‘perfect and ideal’?

Nandini looked after all the logistics required for Bhatti’s padayatra like food supply, tent arrangements, mike system, vehicles and other issues. Nandini has to inhibition because of her North-Indian brought up. When asked about it, she said, “I treat equality all the people who meet me. I have no hesitation in meeting the people and every person can freely approach me”. She claimed that she is working as sincere Congress worker apart from the wife of CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka. (eom)

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