ANANTAPUR: Embarrassing scenes were witnessed at the Janmabhoomi Mavooru public meeting in Pulivendula, home turf of the leader of the Opposition in Kadapa district on Wednesday. Telugu Desam leaders and also Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu interrupted the speech of YSR Congress Member of Parliament Avinash Reddy as he attempted to praise YSR.
As part of the Janmabhoomi programme, Mr Naidu had inaugurated two lift irrigation canals of Gandikota-Chitravati, which would provide water for seven mandals in the Pulivendula Assembly segment and then headed for Pulivendula town, where he addressed a public meeting. Mr Avinash Reddy who participated in the meeting as a local MP, said that while the Gandikota and Chitravathi projects were launched by Mr Naidu, “more than 85 per cent of works related to those projects were completed by the YSR who spent '1,300 crore. We cannot forget his contribution”.
A couple of over-enthusiastic Telugu Desam men tried to grab the mike from Mr Avinash Reddy. The Chief Minister intervened and told him, “This is not a venue for speaking about political issues. I can proudly say I have given water to Pulivendula after delaying water to my home town Kuppam.” Ironically, leader of the Opposition and Pulivendula MLA Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, was on a padayatra in the Chief Minister’s home district of Chittoor at the same time, and indulged in some TD-bashing himself.
Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy said Mr Naidu had no right to ask for votes from the people in the coming polls. “I found Chandrababu Naidu’s assertion that people should feel ashamed if they did not vote for him in the next election laughable. The ground reality is that people are deeply ashamed of having voted for him. In fact, after all the betrayals, it is he who should be ashamed of seeking votes. I have a question for the Chief Minister: Why should the people vote for you? Is it for your failed promises?” Mr Jagan Mohan asked.
