The Hindu : Nine Ministers give Cabinet meet a miss

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Nine Ministers give Cabinet meet a miss

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 17. Election fever is running high among Telugu Desam Party leaders.

At least nine Ministers ignored the official circular to attend Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. Many of them reportedly stayed back in their respective constituencies to participate in election-related programmes.

The high rate of absenteeism was attributed to the short notice at which the Cabinet was convened. But, none missed the absence of all three Ministers from Kurnool, a district where the TDP is riven by factions.

The poll fever was also reflected in NTR Bhavan at Jubilee Hills which was choc-a-bloc with new entrants into the TDP with their supporters in tow in hundreds of vehicles. Seelam Prabhakar, independent corporator from Ramgopalpet Division of MCH, the City Publicity secretary of the TRS, K. Yella Reddy, joined the ruling party.

The TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, kept himself busy projecting himself to partymen and people through the media. After a two-hour-long video interaction with district leaders to review arrangements for the "Vijaybheri'' rally here on February 22, he participated in another live television programme, "Spoorthy'' from the TDP office. The party leader announced in response to a request by the Sarpanch that Government would construct a primary health centre at Potladurthy, model village in Cuddapah district, and sanction Rs. 25 lakhs for other schemes of their choice.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr. Naidu said the party would pay for the 21 trains, nearly 10,000 buses and scores of lorries and jeeps it would hire to transport people for "Vijayabheri'' which break all records of crowd turnout. He would tell people that he had worked for them for nine years. It was now their turn to work for him for two months and ensure his return to power, he added.

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Andhra Pradesh