HALIA (NALGONDA DT) : Accelerating the TRS’ campaign for byelection to the Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly seat, party supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday assured tribals, whose population in the constituency is sizeable, that podu land problems across the State would be resolved soon by organising ‘Praja Darbars’ , beginning with Nagarjuna Sagar.
“I will come personally to Nagarjuna Sagar along with State level officials, stay here for two days and resolve the podu land issues. We will organise Praja Darbars for the purpose,” the Chief Minister declared at an election meeting in Halia in the constituency on Wednesday.“Podu land problems are prevalent across the State, like in Nagarjuna Sagar. I will find a solution for it,” Rao announced.The issue relating to podu land is leading to scuffles between tribals and forest officials in the State.
As part of the Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly bypoll campaign, the TRS president addressed a well-attended public meeting. He appealed to the voters, “Don’t expect milk from a cow after grazing a donkey.” Exuding confidence that the victory of the TRS candidate Nomula Bhagath was a fait accompli, Rao said that development would take place only if the good candidates were elected.
Rao came down heavily on the Congress and its candidate K Jana Reddy. “The Congress leaders left Telangana for the sake of positions. The TRS leaders sacrificed posts for Telangana,” Rao said, and added that he resigned as a Deputy Speaker and as an MLA to launch TRS. Rao also countered the Congress leaders’ claim that the CM’s position was an alm given to him by Jana Reddy. “The CM’s position is something that you gave me. It was not Jana Reddy,” he shot back.
The Chief Minister alleged that those who represented the segment for 35 years had failed to sanction even a degree college. “Nandikonda municipality and other areas witnessed development only after the TRS came to power. The Congress spoiled the Telangana region for 60 long years. The TRS has been resolving one issue after the other,” Rao said.
CM showers sops
The Chief Minister showered sops on the segment. Apart from a degree college already announced for Halia, Rao announced that another degree college would be started in the BC Gurukul campus in Nandikonda. He said that all the lift irrigation schemes sanctioned recently for the segment would be completed on a war footing. “If we do not complete the lift irrigation schemes within one-and-a-half years’ time, we will not seek your votes again,” the CM declared.
He also said he would complete Nellikallu Lift irrigation project even if he had to beg for funds. He also assured that once Bhagath was elected, he would come along with him and resolve the issue regarding house sites in Nandikonda town and issue certificates to the people. The CM also announced that Aasara pensions would be given to those who are above the age of 57. New ration cards too would be given to eligible persons, he said.
KOTIREDDY TO BE MLC
The Chief Minister said that once Bhagath was elected as an MLA, TRS leader MC Kotireddy, who had expected a party ticket for the seat, would be sent to the Legislative Council. Rao also declared that K Anjajaiah, who recently joined the TRS from the BJP, would have bright future
