Chandrababu Naidu rules out early polls in AP

​Srikakulam: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday ruled out the possibility of early elections in Andhra Pradesh. Addressing a public meeting at BRAU campus, Naidu said that ever since the TDP walked out of NDA, the Centre has been trying to create all kinds of problems and the latest attempt was to resurrect cases which were put in cold storage for over eight years and send non bailable warrant.

Referring to the agitation against the Babli project that was taken up by the TDP to protect the interests of people of Telangana in 2010 when the state was united, Naidu recalled how the party fought against the project and in the process while it was holding a demonstration, the Maharashtra police arrested them and put them to several hardships for about five days and how they forcibly dumped them into an aircraft and sent to Hyderabad. At that time the Maharashtra government said that there were no cases against them but now after eight years they sent a non bailable warrant.

They claim that several notices were sent in the past but it was not correct. He said he cannot be cowed down by such threats and would continue to fight for the rights of the Telugu people. Naidu said that his government was determined to complete all irrigation projects by putting them on fast-track mode despite the Centre’s deceit of not extending hand-holding as promised before the 2014 elections. The Centre talks a lot but had done nothing for the state, he said.

Praising the people of Srikakulam, Naidu said that they were hard working people. With little help the district could witness reverse migration. Responding to demands from the people, Naidu announced that the existing health centre would be upgraded into a 50-bed area hospital. Since pharma units were more in Srikakulam there was great scope for jobs in this sector and to provide that kind of manpower, the government would also sanction a pharma college, he said.

Assuring to complete all irrigation projects at a fast pace, the Chief Minister said that in the last four years the government had completed ten projects of the 57 projects. Another 27 projects would be ready by March, he said. He expressed happiness over the completion of Hiramandal project and congratulated the engineers and the staff who took up the project on a war-footing.

Earlier, he performed prayers at Nagavali river at Tamminaidupeta village in Etcerla mandal as part of Jala Siriki Harathi programme. At Etcherla mandal, Naidu laid foundation stones for modernisation of Thotapalli project old canals with an estimated cost of Rs 193 crore and Chinnasana lift irrigation scheme with an estimated cost of Rs 23.75 crore. CM also assured to complete Thotapalli, Vamsadhara, Off-shore, Narayanapuram, Neradi, Madduvalasa projects on quick pace.

“We are concentrating on minor irrigation projects also,” he explained. CM said that Rs 1,415 crore worth projects are going on in Srikakulam district and assured another Rs 4,260 crore worth projects for the district. The government was planning to link five main rivers, Godavari, Krishna, Penna, Vamsadhara and Nagavali in the state by terming it as Maha Sangamam. This would help in eradication of drought in the state, he said.

The Chief Minister also launched ‘Nandhi’ programme on the dais which is designed by district collector K Dhanunjaya Reddy for providing health kits to adolescent girls, pregnant women. Ministers -- K Kala Venkata Rao, D Umamaheswara Rao and K Atchannaidu, -- ZP chairperson Ch DhanaLaxmi, MPs -- PAshok Gajapati Raju and K Rammohan Naidu -- and MLAs attended the programme. YSRCP leader and former MLA M Neelakantam Naidu joined in the TDP in presence of the CM.