The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : ‘Mee Kosam’ draws good response in Anantapur

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Monday, Aug 11, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

‘Mee Kosam’ draws good response in Anantapur

Staff Reporter

Telugu Desam chief showers promises at Tadipatri

Naidu promises to distribute bicycles to all government high school students
Promises to include ‘Boya’ community in the Scheduled Tribe category

TADIPATRI (ANANTAPUR DT.): There was a tremendous response from the public to the TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu’s ‘Mee Kosam Paraja Chaitanya Yatra’ on the first of the six-day yatra in the district on Sunday. People stormed his yatra route in the town and in villages en route to Gooty, even as it drizzled intermittently.

People started gathering at the designated places of his street corner meetings from forenoon itself, though the yatra was delayed by about two hours. He had a closed door meeting on the party affairs in the district with party leaders, including politburo member K. Srinivasulu, legislators P. Sunita, P. Keshav and P. Raghunatha Reddy, former Minister N. Kistappa and others for about an hour before setting off on the yatra.

Speaking to a crowd that packed the bus-station circle, Mr. Naidu announced that the TDP would distribute bicycles to all government high school students and uniforms to all government school students, if voted to power in the next Assembly elections. He also promised to include ‘Boya’ community, presently in the Backward Classes’ category, in the Scheduled Tribes category.

Besides, the TDP, if voted to power, would also waive agriculture loans of all farmers, as against waiver implemented by the Congress Government only to those who did not repay. He said that the party would also implement five per cent reservation to Muslim minorities and introduce ‘Janata Vastram’ scheme to help both the weavers and the poor.

Prays at ‘dargah’

Later, Mr. Naidu offered prayers at Siddi Basha ’dargah’.

Demolition of an exterior portion of the ‘dargah’ premises as part of the widening of the Kadapa-Bellary Road had become controversial two years back with the community demanding reconstruction of the structure in the same extent. When the community leaders brought the issue to the notice of the TDP president, the latter also felt that it was wrong on part of the municipality to hurt the sentiments of the particular community.

VHP memorandum

Earlier, activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) submitted a memorandum to Mr. Naidu that his decision to visit the ‘dargah’ would hurt the sentiments of another community as he had overlooked visit of a couple of ancient temples in the town. Speaking at the same venue, party legislator P. Sunita predicted that the TDP would bounce back power.

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