‘National parties clueless about local issues’
KARIMNAGAR: Incumbent MP B Vinod Kumar is raring to retain the Karimnagar seat in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. While the significant role he played in the Telangana movement still figures as a prominent factor in his claim to leadership, he had also been able to secure considerable funds from the Centre as well as a Smart City status for his constituency. In a candid chat with Express, Vinod Kumar echoes his leader K Chandrasekhar Rao’s views on the Federal Front and how it is going to bring “qualitative change” in the way the country is governed. Excerpts:
What makes you think you would be able to retain the seat this polls?
People have come to understand the importance of regional parties. National parties hardly have any connection with the people. The citizens have been witnessing how the BJP and Congress had fared in the past. I have noticed how the people are increasingly veering towards the TRS. What is making them repose faith in TRS is the work I had done for the constituency.
Why should people of Karimnagar vote for you?
The voters can simply do a comparison between the development Karimnagar underwent during my tenure and that of the previous candidate. They would know why they should vote for me. If voted again, I will bring much more funds to the constituency.
What exactly have you done for the constituency?
First of all, I had ensured that we get approval for the Karimnagar - Kazipet railway line. I also had the Nizamabad-Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Express route extended to Karimnagar. Then there is the Smart City project which is a major achievement. I also got the sanction for four National Highways. I adopted Veernapalli village and developed it as model village in Rajanna-Sircilla district. Now the village has a bank, a petrol pump and a primary health centre. It is now the mandal headquarters. I have even published a book on the number of development programmes that have been taken up in my constituency.
You had raised quite a few issues in the Parliament this time. Can you point out a few of the prominent ones?
I had primarily been grilling the Centre based on the promises made in the AP State Reorganisation Act, 2014. I also had funds allocated for the development of the State’s forest areas. A few other issues included the approval for tourism projects, the Information Technology Hub, IIIT for Karimnagar and the call for special status for Telangana.