Triple-Engine Government To Accelerate Development: Naidu

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday appealed to voters to support the Telugu Desam-led ruling alliance in the local body elections, asserting that victories at the grassroots level would accelerate development through a “triple-engine government”.

Addressing a joint media conference at his camp office with deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan and BJP state president PVN Madhav, Naidu said the three alliance partners had finalised seat-sharing arrangements through joint decisions, considering population proportions, social representation and coalition commitments. He urged people to assess the government's performance over the past two-and-a-half years and support alliance candidates, particularly in urban local bodies.

Naidu said the government was rebuilding the state after a term of a “destructive” administration. Despite El Nino-related drought conditions, development had continued, while the administration was prepared to tackle the Arnab cyclone, he said.

Development was visible in sectors ranging from irrigation projects to data centres, he said, adding that Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati were being developed as three economic regions. A green energy corridor project worth Rs 27,000 crore had also come to the state. He reiterated that the Polavaram project would be completed by March next year.

Launching a sharp attack on the YSRC, Naidu alleged that the opposition was attempting to prevent local body elections and obstruct development through litigation. He claimed that it had filed 62 petitions concerning elections, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), delimitation and BC reservations. He warned that a failure to conduct the elections could result in Finance Commission funds to local bodies being withheld, affecting grassroots development.

Accusing the opposition of resorting to violence and a “hit-and-run” approach, Naidu urged its leaders to abandon violent politics and return to the mainstream. He characterised the YSRC's alleged political approach as “criminalisation, litigation and false propaganda,” contrasting it with the alliance's priorities of welfare, development, good governance and public service. He also criticised the opposition leadership over family disputes and alleged that personal interests were being placed above public welfare.

Naidu said more than 46,000 nominations had been filed for MPTC seats and over 4,700 for ZPTC seats across the state, indicating substantial participation in the electoral process. He said the three parties had undertaken an unprecedented exercise to finalise seat-sharing arrangements, including at the MPTC level. Allocations were made keeping alliance commitments, population proportions and social representation in view.

The CM appealed to alliance leaders and cadres to support only candidates who had received official B-forms and not work against the coalition's decisions. Those who could not be accommodated in the present elections would be given opportunities, Naidu said and urged voters to renew the mandate given to the alliance in 2024 and help establish a trend in the local body elections.

Naidu accused the opposition parties of adopting double standards on electronic voting machines, alleging that they questioned the system after losing elections but accepted it when votes went in favour.