Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu today visited the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad on the occasion of Bonalu festival and worshipped the Goddess.
Former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav was with Naidu when he visited the temple at around 8 am on Sunday and had darshan of Mahankali through a special queue line.
Speaking to the media later, Naidu demanded that the Bonalu festival, which reflected the traditions and culture of the region, should be treated as a State festival. He assured that making it a State festival would be the first file he would sign, if his party returned to power. He said that it was unfortunate that the Congress government has failed to recognize the festival as a State festival though it was being observed since 200 years. He said that he prayed the Goddess that there should be copious rains in the State and the people should be happy and bestowed with plenty.
BJP State chief G Kishan Reddy and party national leader Indrasena Reddy also visited the temple.Kishan Reddy criticized the State government for not heeding to their request of treating the festival as a State festival. He said that the festival would be made a State festival after Telangana State was formed.
Major Industries Minister Dr J. Geetha Reddy, Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav, former Mayor Banda Kartika Reddy and others also had a darshan of the goddess. (NSS)
