The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Vijayashanti, Naidu in verbal duel

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Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Vijayashanti, Naidu in verbal duel

Special Correspondent.

Poser to Telugu Desam Party on its contribution to the welfare of the physically-challenged

Vijayashanti snatches microphone from the TDP chief
Naidu, YSR accused of doing nothing for fluoride-hit in Nalgonda

— Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

Unusual company: TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and Talli Telangana Party chief Vijayashanti at a dharna by physically-challenged persons in Hyderabad on Monday.

HYDERABAD: Vijayashanti, president of Talli Telangana Party, on Monday confronted Telugu Desam supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu and asked him to explain what he had done for the welfare of the physically-challenged.

The war of words took place at a dharna outside Indira Park organised by Manda Krishna of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti to focus the demands of the physically-challenged. Both Ms. Vijayashanti and Mr. Naidu visited the dharna camp to express their solidarity.

As Mr. Naidu was addressing the agitators, the actress-turned-politician snatched one of the two microphones he held in his hand and began speaking. Charging the TDP with having done nothing for the welfare of the physically challenged in the nine years of its regime, she asked him to tell people what he had achieved.

Fluoride problem

She recalled the plight of hapless victims of fluoride in Nalgonda district and regretted that nothing concrete had been done for them. She alleged that Mr. Naidu and Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had failed to come to the rescue of the poor people.

When she handed him the microphone for his reply, the TDP supremo said that despite financial constraints, he had done a lot for the welfare of the handicapped through ‘Cheyutha’ and Janmabhoomi programmes. There were many proposals pending with present government he said, adding that an allocation as little as Rs. 200 crore would improve their lot significantly.

Helpless situation

Caught unawares by the turn of events, Mr. Krishna Madiga watched helplessly.

Later, speaking to presspersons, TDP legislator Errabelli Dayakar Rao alleged that the entire incident was engineered by the Congress.

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