Panabaka wants to develop Tirupati on the lines of Vatican

Tirupati: Four-time MP, Union Minister for two term and the present TDP candidate for Tirupati Lok Sabha byelection Panabaka Lakshmi wanted to preserve the sanctity of Tirupati by giving it autonomous status and develop it on the lines of Vatican city, where policies should not be changed with the change of every government.

In an exclusive interview to The Hans India during her campaign, she revealed her prospects in the run up for election. If elected to the Parliament, she wants to pursue this demand in the Lok Sabha which would be one of her top priorities.

Pressing the demand for special category status to the state will be another priority for her. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the SCS to the state in Tirupati itself which is going to polls again now. Let's see what judgement Lord gives on this, she commented.

"BJP has no right to seek votes in this constituency from where it has promised SCS and went back on its word later. I strongly feel that the main fight in the elections would be between TDP and YSRCP only," she averred.

Stating that there is no reason for BJP to seek votes, she quoted various examples like privatisation of banks, Vizag Steel Plant, pushing Dugarajapatnam port and Mannavaram plant into cold storage among other things. All these have hampered the employment opportunities of youth severely.

Replying to a question by TDP MP on the floor of the house, the Central government has made it clear that SCS was a closed chapter whereas it has promised the same SCS in its election manifesto in Puducherry.

Though the question was in the interests of the state, YSRCP MPs did not even stand at their places in support of it, she pointed out.

YSRCP MPs failed to bring at least one industry or one new project. On the other hand, in the state the prices of essential commodities have been skyrocketing in the state.

Government is not caring about the plight of farmers. No mention of SC, ST sub-plan and the list is endless. Then why should people vote for YSRCP, she asked.

To a question, she expressed confidence in her chances of winning the election. "If the election is held in a free and fair manner, I am going to win. But so many irregularities are taking place.

The volunteers are distributing fake ID slips to voters for which I have many examples. Ministers and MLAs are going along with volunteers and distributing pamphlets along with voter slips. I have complained about this to the Election Commission too," she maintained.

The people's response was so encouraging. They have been responding well to the meetings of Chandrababu Naidu and Lokesh.

Both of them along with many other senior leaders have been camping here to boost up the morale of cadres which would be an added advantage. The entire cadre has been working with fighting spirit, she felt.

"There was an MoU in Sri City that it should give 75 per cent of all employment opportunities to the local youth. But it was being applied for class-IV staff only and others have been going outside in search of opportunities. I will fight on this.

I will also work on developing Tirupati Airport and railway station on par with international standards. There is a need to work for completion of Nadikudi-Srikalahasti line and taking up the works of Gudur-Dugarajapatnam railway line for which the survey was also completed", Lakshmi said on her plans.