Educationist and former Municipal Administration Minister Ponguru Narayana, who unsuccessfully contested the last election from Nellore City, is again in the fray on TDP ticket. In an interview with D Surendra Kumar, Ponguru Narayana revealed his planning and vision for growth.
What kind of response from the people to your election campaign?
We have noticed severe anti-incumbency against the YSRC government for its failure to fulfil election promises and lack of any development in the State in the last five years. The campaign of tripartite alliance is getting tremendous response from the people. We are confident that the voters will rally behind us and ensure our victory in the elections.
What are your winning chances as Nellore City is a YSRC bastion?
The former ministers, who represented Nellore City, failed to get more funds for the development of the constituency. The previous TDP regime had taken up several development projects worth Rs 5,200 crore in the Nellore Municipal Corporation. The projects included under ground drainage, water works, new roads and development of basic infrastructure. About 90% of development projects had been completed during the previous TDP regime. The YSRC government has failed to complete the remaining 10% of works in the last five years. Construction of Santhapeta, Moolapeta markets, NTR Necklace Road and several other development projects taken up by the previous TDP regime, have been ignored by the YSRC government.
What are your major development proposals?
My dream is ensuring housing for every eligible poor household in Nellore City. Construction of 20,000 more houses for the poor will be taken up, in addition to 47,000 TIDCO houses, in Nellore City. Maintenance of more than 70 parks developed in Nellore City during the previous TDP regime, has been totally ignored by the YSRC government. I will ensure allocation of a separate budget for maintenance of parks on sound lines.
What is your reaction to the YSRC’s charge that Narayana has only financial strength, but does not have people’s blessings?
I came from a very poor background. My family resided in a thatched house. I studied in a government school. I have achieved prosperity by hard work. I am well aware of the problems of the poor people with my personal experience, even my critics do not know about them. It is a fact that Nellore City has not witnessed any development in the last five years.
What is your development vision for Nellore City?
I have been receiving appeals from several parents to provide job opportunities to their children during the election campaign. I have observed many youngsters, who completed SSC and Intermediate, doing menial jobs for their livelihood. In fact, many village and ward volunteers with good educational qualifications are well deserved good placements. My aim is to enable youngsters who discontinued their studies, attain a degree through distance or regular mode for a better career prospects, besides imparting skill development training to make them industry-ready.
Do you have the support of Muslims in the wake of TDP’s alliance with the BJP, which is keen on implementation of the Uniform Civil Code?
The TDP is committed to the welfare and development of Muslims. The previous regime had taken several initiatives for the economic uplift of Muslims in the Stae. They included development of Bara Shaheed Dargah in Nellore and Shadi Manzil. In the last election, I polled more votes in Muslim-dominated areas of Nellore City, compared to the YSRC candidate.