The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR gears up for civic polls; to tour municipalities

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 03, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR gears up for civic polls; to tour municipalities

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JAN. 2. Clearly with an eye on giving the Congress a headstart in the coming municipal elections, the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, today convened several meetings with Government officials and party functionaries in the coming week.

Cabinet meeting

This process will be formally kicked off on Monday when Dr. Reddy will sound out his Ministerial colleagues at the Cabinet meeting on his plans for the polls. Later in the day, he will address a meeting of the State Youth Congress where he is likely to spell out broad issues to be tackled ahead of the municipal polls and give a call to party cadres to gear themselves.

High-level meet

Dr. Reddy has summoned the District Collectors and Commissioners of 113 municipal bodies for a two-day meeting here on January 4 and 5 where he is expected to impress upon them the need for identifying in a scientific manner the priorities of the local bodies.

Funds, the Government feels, are no constraint for providing civic amenities since with the World Bank alone is offering to lend Rs. 1,400 crores for urban development.

`Nagara Baata'

Starting from January 9 when he will launch the "Rajiv Nagara Baata," the Chief Minister proposes to tour at least two municipalities every week.

These tours are being carefully planned to ensure that the civic needs are identified by locals themselves in their interactions with Dr. Reddy.

Think tank

On the political side, a think tank has been constituted comprising the Advisor to Government (Public Affairs), the APCC president, K. Keshava Rao, and a few others to devise a strategy for the party organisation to put forth a wining formula for the elections.

Having swept the Assembly polls in May, the Congress leadership has a lot at stake in the municipal elections since as many as 12 Ministers and 80 MLAs represent predominantly urban constituencies.

First test

For these leaders, the municipal polls will be the first test of their performance after their election seven months ago.

This think tank, among other things, will also identify the candidates for the posts of Municipal chairpersons.

Congress party sources said the Chief Minister was determined to see that the elections are held as scheduled in March by completing various formalities such as delimitation of wards and reserving of territorial constituencies for SCs, STS and BCs.

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