Jaya Prakash Narayan - the orator
Last Sunday, I was at a "Meet the professionals" organized by Lok Satta. And am completely floored by Jayaprakash Narayan's oratorical skills.
He held the whole audience of a jam-packed conference hall in thrall. Since the party symbol is a 'whistle', it became very much legitimate for us to whistle and cheer him as he gave his punch lines.
His magic has to do with his low baritone. And may be with the frail physical frame that contrasts and accentuates the strength of his voice.
The courage and conviction with which he spoke was contagious. One of the attendees offered to contest from Pulivendla soon after the speech. (Pulivendla is Y.S.Rajashekhar Reddy's factional murders ridden constituency in Rayalaseema). He often said that his courage comes from truth and honesty and that none of the big three (YSR, Naidu or Chiranjeevi) dare take on his truth in an open forum and challenged them to an open debate on TV on issues.
Jayaprakash spoke in Telugu to the audience. His choice of idioms and words appealed to the common-man and the connoisseur equally. He ridiculed Election Commission's nitpicking with the primarie his party conducted as 'gongura' (a Telugu delicacy) and left the audience in splits. He often quoted from poets of yester-century. I particularly liked 'veera kantham techinamu, veeru devvaro telupudi' (essentially, a call for more leaders on stage)
He created an atmosphere that was electrifying and optimism and hope for cleaner politics filled our hearts.
He held the whole audience of a jam-packed conference hall in thrall. Since the party symbol is a 'whistle', it became very much legitimate for us to whistle and cheer him as he gave his punch lines.
His magic has to do with his low baritone. And may be with the frail physical frame that contrasts and accentuates the strength of his voice.
The courage and conviction with which he spoke was contagious. One of the attendees offered to contest from Pulivendla soon after the speech. (Pulivendla is Y.S.Rajashekhar Reddy's factional murders ridden constituency in Rayalaseema). He often said that his courage comes from truth and honesty and that none of the big three (YSR, Naidu or Chiranjeevi) dare take on his truth in an open forum and challenged them to an open debate on TV on issues.
Jayaprakash spoke in Telugu to the audience. His choice of idioms and words appealed to the common-man and the connoisseur equally. He ridiculed Election Commission's nitpicking with the primarie his party conducted as 'gongura' (a Telugu delicacy) and left the audience in splits. He often quoted from poets of yester-century. I particularly liked 'veera kantham techinamu, veeru devvaro telupudi' (essentially, a call for more leaders on stage)
He created an atmosphere that was electrifying and optimism and hope for cleaner politics filled our hearts.
posted by Anand at 10:20 PM
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