Motivating cadres in North Andhra, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Wendesday appealed to them to work like soldiers to win the maximum number of gram panchayats in the ensuing elections.
Speaking at a regional conference of party workers from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts here, he said local bodies had flourished only under TDP rule. “They are languishing now under the Congress dispensation,” he alleged and reaclled how the TDP governments had devolved powers to local bodies to make them vibrant.
He appealed to the cadres to mix with pepole and explain to them how the Congress had neglectd governance and rural development. Naidu alleged that the present government had cheated Backward Classes.
He said the TDP would fight for BCs till they get 50 per cent reservations in legisaltive bodies. There was a need to win the maximum number of villages in the panchayt elections for which every party worker should play a big role, Naidu said.
“The Congress government has failed to develop basic infrastructure in villages. A majority of villages are facing acute drinking water shortage and there are no street lights either. The government has neglected irrigation, but is claiming to be farmer-friendly,” he said.
During the TDP regime, women’s quota was increased from nine per cent to 33 and 29 additional powers were transferred to gram panchayats, Naidu claimed.
“Our government has developed villages with revnues obtained by selling sand. But the Congress Government promoted sand mafia and looted rural resources. The government has failed to provide minimum support price to farmers. The Congress is claiming that the NREGS is a big success in rural areas, but the scheme is meant for Congress workers only. Common people have not benefited,” Naidu alleged.
Many party leaders V Ramayya, veteran actor Muralimohan, B Satyanarayana Murty, Ch Ayyannapatrudu, P Ashok Gajapati Raju, K Kala Venkata Rao, Gunda Appala Suryanarayana, Ch Ramachandra Rao, K Pratibha Bharati, Kinjarapu Ram Manohar Naidu, Shobha Hymavathi, were among those present.