Ministers, MLAs condemn Maoists attack

Vijayawada/Guntur/Srikakulam: Several Ministers and MLAs condemned the Maoists’ killing Araku MLA Kidari Sarweswara Rao and former MLA Siveri Soma. They expressed shock over the incident. They said the incident was unfortunate and there should be no place for such incidents in democracy.

Ministers Nara Lokesh, Kala Venkata Rao, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, P Amaranatha Reddy, K Achannaidu, Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao, Kalava Srinivasulu, Nakka Ananda Babu, Ch Ayyannapatrudu, Jawahar, Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao and chief whip P Raghunatha Reddy condemned the cruel attack by the Maoists.

They said that Kidari Sarveswara Rao worked for development of Agency area and for the welfare of tribals. They said that such ghastly acts would not solve problems in democracy. They expressed grief and condolences to the bereaved families.

Minister Nakka Ananda Babu said that the Congress government issued licences to bauxite mining in the past but the Telugu Desam government cancelled the licences. He said that the Maoists killed the MLA and former MLA without realising the facts.

Panchayat Raj Minister Nara Lokesh said that the government would extend support to the families of the deceased MLA and former MLA. He expressed shock over the incident. 

Housing and Information Minister Kalava Srinivasulu expressed deep shock over the Maoists killing the young and budding Araku MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao. He condemned the cowardly act of the Maoists. 

Similarly, several legislators also expressed shock and condemned the Maoists killing the two leaders. They recalled that MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao attended the House and raised several issues pertaining to the Agency area. MLA Gadde Rammohan said that Kidari took part in the debate in the last Assembly session on diseases and sanitary conditions in Agency. 

He also said that the Araku legislator used to participate in the debates very seriously. He was active in the Assembly and interacted with other MLAs very politely. 

Minister for Social Welfare Nakka Ananda Babu said that Maoists killed Araku MLA Kidari Sarveswar Rao and former MLA Siveri Soma only to prove their existence and condemned the ghastly act.

Addressing a press meet held at his camp office in Guntur city on Sunday, he said that their killing pained him. He said that both Sarveswara Rao and Soma were his best friends and conveyed his sympathy to the family members of the deceased. 

He recalled that Saraveswara Rao used to raise issues of tribals   in the Assembly and had worked hard for their development. He also said that the Araku MLA had played a key role in reducing the age for payment of pension to the tribals from 60 to 50. Srikakulam district in-charge Minister Pithani Satyanarayana, Minister for Energy K Kala Venkat Rao, Minister for Transport K Atchannaidu and Srikakulam MP K Rammohan Naidu termed the killing of Araku MLA Kidari Sarweswara Rao and former MLA S Soma by Maoists as timid act. 

They strongly condemned the killing and said that the act was brutal. They cancelled TDP coordination committee meeting and other official programmes in the wake of killing of MLA and former MLA by Maoists on Sunday. They spoke to officials of Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts and collected information over the incident. 

They said that Maoists have indulged in the act only to prove their existence. TDP and state government will provide necessary support to families of the deceased, the ministers said. They expressed grief over the incident and wished God will provide peace to souls of the deceased and courage to their family members.