ANANTAPUR: TD president Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s visit to study the present status of irrigation projects in the state, styled as the Penna to Vamsadhara Telugu Talliki Jalaharam, gained wide attention in political circles across the state.
While the YSRC was seriously countering Naidu’s plan to visit irrigation projects by alleging it was a joke as he did nothing for Rayalaseema in 14 years of his TD rule.
Rayalaseema region will be the deciding factor in the election scene mainly involving YSRC and TD, as both the parties are seeking to attract maximum people to their respective sides, mostly the farming communities.
Naidu aims to expose the failures of the YSRC government in the completion of pending works. This, even as most of these projects have reported 90 per cent completion and budgetary provisions have been made for the pending works under the Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi and Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi irrigation projects of Rayalaseema region.
Naidu would kick-start his tour from Nandyal district, at the HNSS project, on August 1 and arrive in Kadapa district the next day.
The Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi project has not witnessed any progress though Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced widening of the main canal. The pending works under phase-I were still incomplete, including the rehabilitation packages.
Naidu will visit the Gandikota project that was part of the GNSS project to provide water in Kadapa district. However, villagers under the Gandikota project were still facing problems vis-à-vis the rehabilitation packages. Naidu would interact with the affected people, party sources said.
Police said they were concentrating on Naidu’s Pulivendula road show and public meeting, as there was the likelihood of a tense situation there similar to Kuppam where YSRC cadres and TD activists came face-to-face.
The TD president’s visit in Pulivendula, home turf of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, gained added attention in view of the ongoing probe into the murder of former minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.
Analysts say Naidu’s road show and public meeting will have the potential to create tension in Pulivendula town because rival parties have been aiming to gain ammunition for the upcoming polls. In Anantapur district, Naidu is scheduled to visit Peruru reservoir and Bhiravani Thippa project.
