The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Star campaigners descend on Nizamabad

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Star campaigners descend on Nizamabad

By Our Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD, APRIL 13. After the high profile campaign by top leaders of all political parties in the district during the last three days, it is now the turn of the film stars to jump into the electioneering mode to boost the prospects of the respective candidates.

If film star, Muralimohan, led the campaign for the Telugu Desam Party in the district on Sunday, it was the turn of Sharat Babu, another popular star, to turn up for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in the Kamareddy and Nizamabad Assembly segments on Monday and Tuesday.

Not to lag behind, the Congress pressed into service film actress Vanisri, to campaign for the party candidates on Tuesday. She extensively toured the Nizamabad and Armoor assembly segments along with the Nizamabad party LS candidate, Madhu Yaskhi, and the Armoor TRS candidate, S. Santosh Reddy. The TRS also had its share of star from the tinsel world as upcoming actress, Keerthi Reddy, joined the party campaign to improve the chances of her grandfather, Gaddam Ganga Reddy, who is contesting at the TRS candidate from the Dichpalli assembly segment.

All the stars addressing impressive gatherings wanted people to use their right to exercise franchise in a judicious way. Mr. Murali Mohan and Mr. Sharat Babu urged the voters to bring back the TDP and the BJP in the State and at the Centre to ensure all-round development of the country. Ms. Vanisri appealed to the voters to vote for the Congress as it was the only secular party with a good track record. Ms. Keerthi Reddy wanted the people of Telangana to support the TRS so that the pro-Telangana party could achieve its dream of a separate State.

Prior to the arrival of the film stars, it was the chiefs of the major political parties, who addressed large gatherings. It was the former Congress Legislature Party leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who started the high profile campaign by entering the district as part of the `Jaitra yatra.' His two-day yatra in the district saw him address a series of roadside meetings atop his ratham in the Jukkal, Banswada, Bodhan, Balkonda and Armoor Assembly segments.

The yatra evoked tremendous response as the people turned up in large numbers even in TDP strongholds. The free power issue caught the attention of farmers. He could impress upon people to vote for the Congress so that `Indiramma's rajyam' is brought back.

The PCC chief, D. Srinivas, also toured the Nizamabad segment.

Close on the heels of the visit of Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Minister, addressed five public meetings in the district on two-days. He addressed meetings at Yellareddy, Pitlam (Jukkal), Bodhan, Armoor and Nandipet (Dichpalli). He lashed out at the Congress and the TRS accusing them of following opportunistic politics. He wanted the people to vote for the TDP-BJP combine on the basis of the good governance of the two parties at the State and the Centre.

The TRS chief followed suit on Tuesday by addressing two public meetings in Yellareddy and Armoor towns. Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao devoted most of his speech directing his ire at the TDP and its "neglect'' of Telangana. His plea to the electorate more particularly the people of Telangana was that a vote for TRS would fulfill the long cherished dream of the locals, who craved for a separate State.

Apart from film stars and top politicians, the wives of the contesting candidates and their relatives did not lag behind in campaigning. The wives of almost all candidates, were going on door-to-door campaign to seek votes for their husbands.

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