Naidu sounds bugle for panchayat polls in city

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, July 3, 2013: Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu criticised the Congress for diluting powers vested with sarpanches and local bodies. He sounded the bugle for local body polls at the regional summit organised in the city on Wednesday in which cadres from from 40 Assembly constituencies in four districts took part.

He came down heavily on the state government for failing to provide relief and rescue for pilgrims belonging to the state stranded in Uttarakhand. Eyeing resurrection of the party in north Andhra, which was once a bastion for TD, Naidu earlier chose to end his historic padayatra Vasthunna Meekosam in Vizag and now organised the first of the regional summits, the party planned across the state.

“Congress is always scared of facing elections. Whenever the Congress came to power, it always delayed conducting polls for local bodies. It fears defeat.  It was during TD rule that panchayats and other local bodies were strengthened. Congress diluted the powers,” said Naidu.

Grass root level leaders and activists from Vizag, Viziangaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari districts in large numbers took part in the meeting held at AS Raja Grounds.