GUNTUR: There was a huge loss of money and manpower owing to cancellation of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's proposed visit to Guntur due to inclement weather on Saturday.

The helicopter in which Mr. Reddy was to fly to Guntur did not take off from Hyderabad for Guntur due to overcast conditions there and the weather was similar in Guntur also.

All Congress MLAs from Guntur district, MPs and officials waited at the police parade grounds here at the scheduled liftoff time from Hyderabad. At about 9.30 a.m., it was officially announced that the Chief Minister's visit was officially cancelled and all politicians and officials left the Parade grounds. Minister for Cooperation and Transport Kanna Lakshmi Narayana said the programme was put off to November 6 and 7. All the programmes scheduled for Saturday and Sunday would be rescheduled to those two days without any change. Final approval from the CMO was awaited, but in principle the Chief Minister had agreed to visit the district to review the implementation of government programmes at the Zilla Parishad Hall.

Hundreds of people, who had arrived at Guntur from surrounding mandals came to know about the cancellation only by noon and the money spent on mobilizing these crowds and banners put all over the city with a huge investment had gone waste. Outwardly all the Congress leaders said they were not disappointed at the cancellation of the trip, they knew change of dates meant additional expenditure.

`Home is safe'

At some places people had torn off `flex' hoardings and carried them home for personal use and protecting them for over a week was a Herculean task for leaders, who had sponsored them. The Government officials and police heaved a sigh of relief though all their preparation for Saturday's event had gone waste. Now all reports would have to be revised and latest position as on coming Saturday or Sunday would have to be gathered. Police personnel requisitioned from other districts would have to go back and return within a week and take positions again. District Collector G. Jayalakshmi, Superintendent of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy and Joint Collector Rahul Bojja were present at the helipad this morning.

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