VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister and TDP supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked leaders and workers of the TDP-led NDA coalition to work in close coordination to secure victory in the forthcoming ZPTC and MPTC elections, stressing the need to strengthen the alliance at the grassroots level.
Addressing a teleconference with key leaders of coalition parties on Monday, in which Minister and Jana Sena Party PAC Chairman Nadendla Manohar and BJP Andhra Pradesh president Madhav participated, the Chief Minister reviewed the preparations for rural local body elections and the precautions to be taken during the counting of votes in urban local body elections.
Naidu said the urban local body elections were conducted peacefully, though attempts were allegedly made to disrupt polling in Pulivendula and provoke coalition leaders into violence.
He appreciated the restraint shown by coalition leaders and workers and asked them to remain vigilant during the counting process.
Stating that ZPTC and MPTC elections were crucial for rural development, he said the coalition should win all Zilla Parishad positions across the 28 districts and secure a majority of ZPTC and MPTC seats.
He called for coordinated efforts by TDP, Jana Sena and BJP leaders, emphasising that the NDA should be represented at the Centre, State and local levels. The Chief Minister said development works worth `1.50 lakh crore were being undertaken in rural areas and welfare benefits were being extended to households across the State.
He urged alliance leaders to communicate the government’s development and welfare initiatives to people and ensure greater voter participation.
Referring to relatively low polling percentage in the urban local body elections, Naidu asked party leaders to pay sattention to mobilising voters for ZPTC& MPTC polls.