On the issue of Pattabhi’s comments, it appears that the YSRCP and the Chief Minister have unknowingly walked into TDP’s trap.  By attacking the TDP headquarters and assaulting the family members of TDP spokesperson Pattabhi, the YSRCP ended up losing sympathy. Now the party is forced to do a lot of explaining.

In fact, it was the YSRCP which started the slanging match. YSRCP motor-mouth minister Kodali Nani used very abusive words for both Chandrababu Naidu and Lokesh. When the TDP tried to object, he became even more bellicose. But, clever Chandrababu Naidu kept his cool and gained sympathy. In the whole process, Nani ended up losing support and even his own party found his comments difficult to defend. So, Nani has been silent for quite some time.

Now the TDP has begun upping its ‘abuse quotient’ with Lokesh, Dhulipalla Narendra and other leaders attacking the YSRCP right left and centre. On the issue of the recent drug seizures in Gujarat and their possible link to AP, TDP spokesperson Pattabhi went ballistic. In a recent press conference, he used unprintable words only to excite and incite the YSRCP. The party reacted predictably and its cadre attacked Pattabhi’s house, TDP headquarters and offices across the state in retaliation.

Now, Chandrababu effectively played the victim card and called up Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He also made Pawan Kalyan to speak up against the attacks. Thus the TDP ended up gaining sympathy. Not just that. He and the other TDP leaders were very quick to point an accusing finger at Nani’s diatribes, which were far worse than Pattabhi’s. Thus, Chandrababu achieved the twin objectives of silencing the loud mouths of the YSRCP and gaining public sympathy. Jagan, the master strategist, ended up losing on both counts.