Date:10/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/10/stories/2008121055180600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Politicians get ready for ‘pada yatras’

Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR: As the Assembly and Parliament elections are fast approaching, several leaders of TDP and Congress in the district have either already engaged themselves in different mass-contact campaigns or planning to take up one in the coming days.

The latest to join the bandwagon of the mass-contact exercise are Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy and Anantapur Member of Parliament A. Venkatarami Reddy.

The Minister is planning a ‘pada yatra’ from Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir (PABR) to Hindupur town covering about 180 km length of pipeline of N. Srirami Reddy drinking water project from December 22.

The exercise is aimed at telling the people of different assembly constituencies along the pipeline that the Minister has kept his word of providing safe drinking water, the promise made, particularly to the people of Hindupur town, in the run up to civic body elections there in January-February 2007.

“I still remember a couple of women who questioned me during the campaigning for municipal elections about the veracity of our promise of providing safe drinking water to the town before Assembly elections,” the Minister said. “Incidentally, the Congress had lost the two wards where he had encountered the apprehensions of women folk over the water promise, though the party had won the civic body,” Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said.

YSR to participate

The padayatra is likely to conclude on December 30 in Hindupur with Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy dedicating the drinking water project to people.

It is being planned to supply protected water to Hindupur and Kalyanadurg towns and 15 villages each in Hindupur and Madakasira constituencies by December 30.

Similarly, Anantapur Member of Parliament Mr. Venkatarami Reddy is also planning to set off on a yatra from the PABR site on December 22 along with the Minister and visit his Lok Sabha constituency to meet people.

Penukonda legislator P. Sunita (TDP) is also launching her ‘yatra’ in the newly created Rapthadu constituency on December 10 and she plans to continue it in Penukonda and Gorantla areas too.

Yatra names

The ‘yatras’ are being given different names of their choice by different leaders.

TDP politburo member and former MP K. Srinivasulu has given the name, ‘maha prasthanam’ to his yatra. Similarly, Uravakonda legislator P. Keshav (TDP) is visiting villages in the name of ‘ashirvada yatra’. Another TDP leader P. Raghunatha Reddy, an MLC, is already engaged in ‘palle nidra’ campaign in his Nallamada and Kadiri areas.