Date:28/03/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/03/28/stories/2004032804440400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Come out and vote, Naidu tells people

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 27. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has called upon people to join hands in the "purification process aimed at cleansing politics."

On the third day of his teleconferencing programme - Mana Votu, Mana Bhavishyathu - at NTR Trust Bhavan on Saturday, Mr. Naidu urged people to exercise their franchise and, at the same time, motivate others to cast their vote. "An attitudinal change is the order of the day," he said, and asked people not to forget their constitutional obligation of exercising their franchise to elect ``good candidates and good political parties.''

Whether it was 70-year-old Yenkamma from Jogipet or Sukanya from Nizamabad or Swarna from Manthani, most of whom he spoke to proclaimed their support to the TDP.

Srinivas, who runs a grocery shop in Adilabad, said he would do his best to spread awareness about the value of exercising one's franchise.

Later, speaking to newsmen, Mr. Naidu said his endeavour was to set in motion a purification process aimed at cleansing politics in general and with the ultimate objective of giving a boost to serious, committed leaders with a track record of rendering service to people. Given the development plank of the TDP, he said the common man's expectations were really high. ``Only good leaders with no weaknesses will survive in the long run,'' he summed up.