Drawing parallels between politics and cinema is not new to Andhra politics. But when YSR Congress Party leader RK Roja received a thunderous reaction from the crowd when she compared party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy with Amarendra Baahubali and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu with Bhallaladeva, from the Baahubali franchise.
Speaking at a district plenary meeting of the party at Ongole, Roja went further, comparing former Andhra CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy to Amarendra Baahubali, the father of Mahendra in the blockbuster franchise.
Filmmaker SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus is a story about two warring brothers for the ownership of an ancient kingdom. The film stars Prabhas as Amarendra and Mahendra Baahubali, while Rana Daggubati plays the role of Bhallaladeva.
"You all might have watched that movie. Even though Sivagami, like Sonia Gandhi, troubled YSR, he built a temple for himself in the hearts of all people. Bhallaladeva, like Chandrababu Naidu back then, had challenged 'big' Baahubali (YSR), and is now challenging 'little' Baahubali (Jagan)," she said.
"He is unable to face either of them, and he is trying to defeat them even now. So, like the movie, we should make our Baahubali (Jagan), the king in the coming election," she added, to massive applause and cheers.
Roja also lashed out at the state government, claiming that not a single major promise had been fulfilled, from the hundreds that were made during the election.
She also took a dig at the induction of Naidu's son, Nara Lokesh, saying that the CM had only provided a job to his son, and not for the unemployed youth across the state.
Top brass of the YSRCP were present at the event, including Ongole MP YV Subbareddy, party spokespersons Ambati Rambabu and Parthasarathy, and Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy.
Former Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, who was also present, said that the people of the state were fed up with three years of the “misrule of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu” and the TDP.
According to reports, Ambati Rambabu added that the party was confident of winning all 12 Assembly seats and 2 parliamentary seats of Prakasam district.