Hey Rama! KCR cold-shouldering Bhadradri?

Bhadrachalam: Will Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao keep his promise to Lord Rama of Bhadrachalam? It is almost two years since granting the statehood to Telangana. Yet, the Chief Minister’s grace has not fallen on the Lord.

Ever since he became the Chief Minister, he visited the shrine only once, that too, to present silk clothes to the deities on behalf of the State government on the auspicious occasion of Sri Rama Navami. During the visit, he kept mum sticking to his official schedule.

While speaking to media at Manuguru at that time, he promised to make it to Bhadrachalam within a week and had gone on record that he had a vision for Bhadradri development and would release required funds after getting the temple development master plan made by an architect.

Devotees of Lord Rama were buoyed by at these appeasing words. Locals pinned hopes on Bhadradri development in leaps and bounds. People were surprised at the Chief Minister not visiting the temple even after 10 months.

On one hand, he endowed Yadadri, Vemulawada and Kondagattu temples crores of rupees and on the other, extending step-motherly treatment towards Bhadradri causing heartburn to Lord Rama devotees.

They visualised unhindered development of the temple during KCR regime, but unable to come to grips with the posture that the Chief Minister had adopted.

The Bhadrachalam Agency people are giving vent to their agony at zero response of the CM in giving a new lease of life to temple development as the region suffered identity crisis because of the merger of seven villages with Andhra Pradesh in connection with the Polavaram project.

As if it is not enough, the government issued a GO to every one’s surprise that the pushkaram expenditure bill should be borne by Lord Rama instead of releasing funds.

Therefore, the devotees are demanding the government to have clarity on temple development and release funds accordingly at least by Sri Rama Navami, which is two months away.

Speaking to The Hans India, MLA of Bhadrachalam Sunnam Rajaiah demanded the government to release at least Rs 100 crore for the temple development.

Sharing his views with The Hans India, BJP Khammam district general secretary Avula Subba Rao took objection to the state government ignoring Bhadrachalam temple development and demanded release of funds at full scale.

Moreover, he sought bringing four panchayat again into the mandal fold. Congress leader Ponguleti Sudhakar said that Bhadrachalam bore the brunt of the bifurcation and hence wanted the government to come to the rescue of the temple town in all respects.

He lamented that KCR who promised to turn up at the temple within a week did not show his face again. Former Union minister Balram Naik said that the town witnessed development during Congress regime.

A second road bridge across Godavari was built. Several roads were developed during his regime. He demanded the State government to elevate the status of Bhadrachalam to that of a district.