While the government has put an end to Red Beacon culture, will it put an end to VVIP culture. The attitude of Telugu Desham Party leaders while consoling the victims of Yerpedu incident depicts their exposure and that very arrogance needs to change. TDP ministers and MLA had to face the wrath of the Yerpedu road mishap victims. The leaders who went to console the relatives of the deceased were gheraoed and questioned them which is understandable.

It may be recalled that at least 20 persons were killed when a truck lost control, ploughed through a group of people in front of a police station, hit an electric pole uprooting it, and rammed a roadside shop at Yerpedu on the Srikalahasti highway on Friday. Most of the victims walked upto the mandal headquarters to file a complaint in the police station against rampant sand mining in the Swarnamukhi riverbed.

Former Minister Bojjala tried his best to remain composed and not to get into war of words with the angered citizens. In fact, a few of them raised the villagers raised the caste issue and said being a Reddy leader the minister arrived late when 14Kammas were killed. In another incident, Bojjala was talking about ex-gratia and the victim literally bounced back on him for consoling in terms of money. However, the MLA put up his best face but did make comments contrary to the words of his cabinet minister that the hand of sand mafia cannot be ruled

On the other hand, IT Minister Nara Lokesh became argumentative and loud. People are bound to question the leaders, especially the ones who were killed were protesting for a cause which the minister claimed doesn’t happen in the state. On the contrary Lokesh came up with statements like – “there is no sand mafia in AP”, “if you don’t want us to come we won’t”, “kin of deceased can come to Amaravati and will assure they will have good future”.

While this is the first stint of the minister, he may want to learn from the experienced, on how to maintain self-control and ensure that his body language and words convey the same thing. It’s a good thought to visit the incident site and meet people, but the leader bombed up in maintaining composure. There is a long road ahead for the young leader especially when he wants to be the best, he should know how to handle the crisis.