Misuse of official machinery for public meeting alleged

Rajamahendravaram(East Godavari District): Since the elections are around the corner, YSRCP leaders went all out of their way to make the mass gathering into a show of strength for Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's visit to Rajamahendravaram on Tuesday. It was alleged that the government machinery and public funds were misused on a large scale for this purpose.

YSRCP district leaders have made massive preparations for the rally during the CM's visit.

About 420 RTC buses, 180 private buses and vans belonging to private schools were used to transport people.

After giving buses for the rally and also due to traffic restrictions, private schools in the district declared holiday on the Tuesday. At the same time, holiday was declared to all aided and government schools also. With this, 1,564 schools across the district have been closed.

The ruling party leaders reportedly entrusted the responsibility of mobilising people for the rally to secretariat staff and volunteers in some constituencies.

With much difficulty, the volunteers and staff succeeded in making the beneficiaries of government schemes to attend the meeting. It seems that the beneficiaries reached the secretariats and from there they were transported in buses to the meeting venue.

The entire city is stuck in a framework of traffic restrictions just for 10 to 15-minute road show. Arrangements were made for the CM's visit with about 14,000

policemen.

Though there is a permanent helipad in the Arts College, the venue of the main public meeting, a helipad was specially constructed in the Municipal stadium for the landing of the CM's helicopter. The Arts College is 4 km away from the stadium. It was criticised that setting up of another helipad was to conduct a road show.

The officials have allotted only 10 minutes in the schedule for the CM's roadshow from Municipal stadium to Arts College via Syamala Centre, Saikrishna Theatre, Geetha Apsara Theatre and Jampeta Azad Chowk.

Not only helipad, barricading and security along the route, also mini meeting arrangements with temporary dais were made at five or six places, especially for the roadshow. There were allegations of misappropriation of public funds by arranging these venues.

The road from Syamala Theatre to Jampeta Church Gate is the narrowest one. Due to this reason, leaders felt that it will look crowded even if a few people attend the roadshow in this area. But in view of some unfortunate incidents in the recent political gatherings, police expressed concern over organising roadshow on the narrow road.

Meanwhile, constructing the meeting dais also was not easy one. Compound wall of the Arts College was demolished at two places for setting up public and parking entrances.

Beside the main platform, where the CM addresses the public, another platform for pensioners was constructed. Beneficiaries were selected from elderly, disabled, handloom and toddy tappers will sit here, who were allegedly well trained on what and how to speak with the CM.

The CM continued greeting people from the bus almost throughout the roadshow, who showered flowers on his vehicle. Even though venues were set up on the way, he did not stop

anywhere.