Contesting Tirupati LS by-election is God's blessing: Ratna Prabha

Tirupati: Stating that she is contesting Tirupati Lok Sabha by-election following the blessing of God, BJP candidate and retired IAS officer K Ratna Prabha asserted that she will make the voice of Tirupati and AP heard in the Parliament.

The former Chief Secretary of Karnataka in her maiden media meet here on Sunday, affirmed that she will not be shy in voicing the people's problems or seeking any measures required for development in any forum and even take any issue to the prime minister if required.

Without naming YSRCP, she said despite 22 MPs, neither our issues were getting focused nor our voice was getting heard, she said stressing on supporting her to win the election to fight for the cause of the State. Apparently countering her critics, she said she is the daughter of the soil and Andhra Pradesh is her Janma Bhumi while Karnataka her Karmabhumi.

Ratna Prabha said she has a passion for work and to serve the needy while explaining the reason she joined the BJP after retirement and cited many instances particularly during the pandemic last year helping many including AP fishermen stranded in Udupi, Karnataka return home and many such cases.

The BJP nominee said that she is not new to people as she is in good touch with them through social media and asserted that she will be available to people in need or aggrieved for help at all times. She took the occasion to delineate many of her achievements including in shifting Telugu film industry from Chennai to Hyderabad when she was Regional Officer, Central Board of Film Certification, Hyderabad and also getting AP-Chennai industrial corridor at the time of approval of Bengaluru-Chennai corridor.

The main plank of the party for the by-election, she said is development and added that focus will be laid on the achievements of the BJP for development of pilgrim city through various projects including Smart City Project, International Airport, IIT, IISER and development of national highway and other infrastructure facilities .

Answering a question on the doubts expressed in some quarters on Jana Sena working for her in the election, she said it is baseless and she is 200 per cent sure of the support from the party.

"Pawan Kalyan also on my request assured to campaign and sought to prepare the road map for his tour and instructed cadres to be active in the electioneering,'' she categorically said that BJP and Jan Sena would work together in the by-election for her victory.

To a question on she appreciating Chief Minister Jagan many times (in the past), she said there is nothing wrong in lauding any good work by anyone but that does not mean supporting him.

She said that the public attitude should change to reject anyone offering money or luring them for votes and observed that, "If they accept money for temporary gain or joy they have to suffer for years."

Earlier, Ratna Prabha arrived at Renigunta airport to a tumultuous welcome by party activists and leaders from 7 constituencies in Tirupati Parliament and arrived in the city in a rally from the airport.

BJP State president Somu Veerraju and others were present.