Naidu promises to create separate Markapuram district

Markapuram: TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday vowed to complete Veligonda project and provide irrigation and drinking water.

Naidu addressed ‘Praja Galam’ public meeting in Markapuram under the Ongole Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday. He said, “'It is me who laid the foundation for the Veligonda project and I shall complete all the works of the project after assuming office as the Chief Minister following the 2024 Assembly polls.”

Naidu highlighted the local issues and assured to resolve them. He promised to make Markapuram a separate district by carving it out from the existing Prakasam district, after coming into power. He called upon the people to put an end to the rule of the YSR Congress Party and elect TDP-JSP-BJP candidates to bring the State back on the track of development.

He said that if the TDP had been in power in the last term, the western area of the Prakasam district would have got drinking and irrigation water from the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda Project long ago. He lambasted Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for cheating the people in the name of three capitals, when he is incapable of completing the remaining 20 per cent of the Veligonda project in five years.

Naidu questioned the YSRCP president on the rationale behind inaugurating an incomplete project, just to claim that he completed it.

The TDP chief announced that he would carve out the Markapuram district to boost the development of the region and fulfill the wish of the local people. He alleged that it is due to the YSRCP government, the Asia Pulp and Paper Company dropped the project to establish a paper mill near Ramayapatnam port.

The TDP president called the YSRCP candidate for the Ongole MP segment a red sanders smuggler and advised the public to vote for Ongole Pushpa. He alleged that the local MLA and his relatives made the constituency their den to loot the public. He explained that the TDP fielded Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy as the Ongole MP candidate and Kandula Narayana Reddy as the MLA candidate after surveying them, and asking them to vote for the duo and give a supermajority.

Chandrababu Naidu told the people that the alliance was formed with the BJP and Jana Sena Party to protect the interests of the State and ensure its development. He told them to hold the lotus and the tea glass in their hand and start peddling the cycle into the development.

He announced increasing the pension to Rs 4,000 from Rs 3,000 after coming into power. He refuted the allegations of YSRCP that TDP was taking revenge on the pensioners by keeping volunteers away. He said that the YSRCP government had made the State bankrupt and had no funds to distribute the pensions.

He demanded the government to make alternative arrangements to distribute the pensions on Monday itself, at the homes of the beneficiaries.

The TDP chief flayed Jagan for only mentioning about pressing buttons to transfer money during his public meetings and not speaking about the YSRCP government frequently increasing electricity charges, taxes, cesses and RTC bus fares. The Chief Minister failed to keep his promise of announcing a job calendar every year, Naidu said

He asked the public to understand the true Jagan Mohan Reddy who is “supporting” the killers of his own uncle and harassing his own sisters, and teach him a befitting lesson.