Politicians are often marred to controversies and accused of siphoning and misusing funds, meant for developmental work, in their constituencies. But Chimpula Sailaja Satyanarayana Reddy is a pleasant contrast to the money laundering gimmick.
She is a public representative in Telangana, who has offered to sell her own land to keep her electoral promises. Representing Chevella territorial constituency in Ranga Reddy Zilla Parishad, Sailaja has put up a “For Sale” board at her 100 square-yard open plot adjoining the Hyderabad-Bijapur National Highway.
Sharing why she took such a step, Sailaja says, “I had to do so due to a lack of funds. Even after repeated attempts and visits to the authorities, including the finance minister for the state, the funds required for developmental works in the constituency were nowhere to be seen. While I was contesting the 2014 elections, people voted for me as they believed I would do well for society, make concrete roads for farmers, ensure proper drainage and set-up a drinking water facility. It’s been four years since then and I haven’t been able to do anything for them. I felt helpless.”
Recalling a past incident, Sailaja narrates that once she was campaigning for some cause in her constituency when the people there questioned her about her earlier promises. She was embarrassed to tell them the real reason — zero funds. It was then that she thought to herself: ‘Enough is enough!’ It was time to do some actual work!
“It’s true that I got elected on the ticket of the ruling party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, but all my efforts to convince the authorities to release the funds have been in vain. And I am not the only one suffering, the same fate haunts my fellow Zilla Parishad Territorial Committee members. They are doing great work otherwise, but don’t know why no funds are being released,” informs Sailaja.
She further states, “Last year, I had even approached the Hyderabad High Court, which directed the government to release around '500 crore to local bodies in the district towards their share in the seigniorage fee collected from mining activities.
I was expecting at least some amount for my territorial constituency. However, the orders have not been implemented till now; it’s been a year!”
According to Sailaja, this is the reason people shy away from voting and don’t trust politicians for doing good work for the community. “I will go to any length to do my duties. I know that by selling my land I will not get funds for all the developmental work but at least something is better than nothing. As of now, I am getting a good response from buyers,” she concludes.
