Date:18/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/18/stories/2008111854560500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Purandeswari takes on Telugu Desam leaders

G.V.Ramana Rao

The Union Minister of State participates in a roadshow from Vijayawada to Gandigunta village

Purandeswari given rousing reception
She unveils the statue of Rajiv Gandhi

VUYYURU: A rousing reception was given to the daughter of N.T.Rama Rao and Union Minister of State for Human Resources Daggupati Purandeswari when she took out a road show from Vijayawada to Gandigunta village near Vuyyuru on Monday.

There was an impressive gathering to receive Ms.Purandeswari to the Gandigunta village that has been a stronghold of the Telugu Desam Party right from its inception. TDP has been strong in several of the villages with the people pledging loyalty to NTR who belonged to the district. To top it all, Ms. Purandeswari came to the village to unveil a bronze statue of Rajiv Gandhi installed by Vuyyuru MLA K.P.Saradhi. She unveiled the statue after paying flora tributes to a bronze statue of her father en route. The NTR statue was unveiled in the village by her brother Harikrishna and TDP leader in April this year.

Addressing a gathering at the village Ms. Purandeswari said people who toppled her father from the Chief Minister’s post undemocratically and were responsible indirectly for his death were today claiming that they were his political heirs. She said the people had the right and the responsibility to question Telugu Desam president N.Chandrababu Naidu how he could claim to be the political heir of NTR.