SETTING AN EXAMPLE: Pandu Ranga Rao going through the record book at his village Alagadapa in Nalgonda district. — PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

NALGONDA: Venepally Pandu Ranga Rao has found a place in the latest edition of the Limca Book of Records for holding a mid-term referendum on his performance as sarpanch of Alagadapa in Miryalaguda mandal of Nalgonda district on August 17, 2003.

In the `Development' category, the book published his record on page no.163 along with his passport size photo and a picture of women voters casting their vote during the referendum.

"Frankly speaking, I didn't call for a referendum to hog the limelight. I thought it is my moral responsibility to seek people's mandate after two years of completion of my stint," Mr. Rao told The Hindu . Dedicating the record to the villagers of Alagadapa, he advised peoples' representatives of all political parties to voluntarily call for a referendum on their performance. "Now-a-days politicians are being seen as plunderers. To get rid of the stigma, they should lead a clean life," he said.

Interestingly, Mr.Rao is gearing up to call for a referendum on the Telangana issue on November 1, the Andhra Pradesh Formation Day, in the presence of the representatives of Lok Satta, Jana Vignana Vedika and Human Rights Forum.

Refusing to buy the argument that the election for the Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat would be the referendum for the issue of a separate State, he said: "It is foolish to say that all TDP workers oppose the formation of a separate State. Similarly, all people of this region don't believe in K. Chandrasekhar Rao though he is fighting for the cause. To know the people's exact pulse on the issue I am calling for a referendum."

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