The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : The `spiritual pull' PV could not resist

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Friday, Dec 24, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

The `spiritual pull' PV could not resist

By D. Sreenivasulu

KURNOOL, DEC. 23. The former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, was attracted towards Nandyal by its "spiritual power centres'' -- Srisailam, Mahanandi and Ahobilam. Narasimha Rao used to say that power was centred in the Nandyal constituency because of location of three prominent shrines and many other pilgrim centres, Gangula Pratap Reddy, who vacated the Nandyal seat enabling Narasimha Rao to contest from the place, has recalled.

Though offers came from Maharashtra, New Delhi and other places, Narasimha Rao preferred Nandyal at that time. He won the seat with a majority of 5,80,035 over Bangaru Laxman of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Telugu Desam Party did not contest the election as mark of honour to a Telugu man. Mr. Gangula Pratap Reddy was accommodated in the Rajya Sabha.

During his tenure, the people of Nandyal saw the most humble MP in P.V. Narasimha Rao, who touched every part of the constituency, including remote areas. He made 17 visits and some times spent nearly three days in the constituency despite the pressing need for his presence in the country's capital.

Memorable event

The event of filing the nomination itself was memorable. When the Returning Officer and Collector, Rajaiah, rose to receive the papers from the then Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao requested him to be seated.

Industrialisation of the Nandyal constituency was his wish and to achieve this objective, Narasimha Rao concentrated on development of infrastructure required for it. Upgrading the Kurnool-Chittoor road to National Highway 18, expansion of communications network and railway gauge conversion work were some of the projects in that direction.

The Guntur-Guntakal gauge conversion work was never attempted as it involved construction of a long tunnel. With his initiative, the project costing Rs 650 crores was completed connecting Machilipatnam in the east with Goa on the west coast.

Narasimha Rao was a food lover, who relished jowar roti with chilli in coconut grate. He personally requested a friend for the dish whenever he visited. Rao thanked a friend profusely who served him with Udipi dishes.

Rao stunned the audience once with his eloquent speech for an hour at a public meeting on the implications of the Patent Act after his convoy was detained by Left activists on the issue. He could educate even the illiterate rural people on the most complicate subject at global level at that time.

Popular name

Narasimha Rao will be well remembered by farmers and seed producers as `Narasimha' is a name popular with them. The Agriculture Research Station at Nandyal released Narasimha -- a new cotton variety -- in 1995. `Narasimha' which is tolerant to water stress and sucking pest emerged popular variety among farmers and hybrid seed producers. `Narasimha' is used as female plant for developing many hybrid varieties.

The Agriculture station also released a minor millet (korra) named Narasimharaya. The Narasimharaya balancing reservoir at Gorakal on the SRBC was also named after him. The Nandyal Drinking Water Project was sanctioned during his time at a cost of Rs 90 crores to supply water to over 200 villages in the district. The drinking water problem for Nandyal town was solved by sanctioning an amount of Rs 15 crores.

Narasimha Rao had great attachment with the guest house at Nandyal. Whenever he was overcome by stress, he made a visit to the place and stayed a night there.

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