Chandrababu Naidu for paper ballots in next elections

Srikakulam: TDP national president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu strongly advocated use of paper ballots in elections to improve transparency in voting and at the same time he opposed electronic voting machines (EVM) which are not “error-free.” Addressing the TDP’s Dharma Porata Deeksha at KR Stadium in Srikakulam city on Saturday, Naidu said EVMs are not right to assess public opinion in elections and paper ballots are good to prevent irregularities in voting and involvement of other elements.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated party’s district office in Srikakulam. Subsequently, he participated in Dharma Poratam meeting. He explained that he had sailed with the BJP for four years for State development. But unfortunately the ruling party at the Centre had betrayed Andhra Pradesh, he lamented. To fight against the injustice meted out to the State by the BJP-led NDA government, the TDP had launched an agitation against the Centre, he said. Naidu flayed the BJP for trying to use the Income-Tax department, ED and CBI to threaten the Opposition parties in the country and suppress their voice. The Chief Minister sought the support of the people of the State in their fight against the Centre.

Naidu regretted that the Central government was not extending cooperation for the completion of the Polavaram Project and capital Amaravati construction works. He pointed out that it had failed to keep the promises of sanctioning an exclusive railway zone to AP with Visakhapatnam as headquarters and a steel plant in Kadapa. Dismissing the allegations that the State had failed to properly utilise the Central funds, Naidu said he was ready to give details of the money spent on various schemes during the last four years.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the Centre had allotted a mere Rs 1,500 crore for capital city works which could only be used for laying UG cable lines. Pointing out the bias being shown by the NDA government, he said the Centre had allocated Rs 3,000 crore for the construction of Sardar Patel statue in Gujarat and another Rs 25,000 crore for the construction of convention centres in the native State of Prime Minister Modi. Even though Central government agency Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP) declared award to AP for its commitment to projects and power saving methods, the NDA government was not releasing funds, he pointed out.

He criticised the Centre for its failure to sanction funds even for the development of airports in Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram and Tirupati. Explaining the progress achieved by the State in different sectors, he said the State government would establish a steel plant in Kadapa and petro corridor in Kakinada to ensure further development. Naidu assured to take steps for development of agriculture, service and industrial sectors in Srikakulam district. Ministers K Kala Venkata Rao, K Atchannaidu, MPs P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, K Rammohan Naidu, MLAs GSS Sivaji, G Laxmidevi and others spoke on the occasion.