Alleging that the Congress government was deliberately delaying construction of a flyover at the Kanaka Durga temple here, TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu has demanded that the State government take up the work immediately. He also declared that they would achieve the flyover under any circumstances.
Participating in the Maha Dharna program organized at Kummaripalem center here this morning, Naidu said that local MP Lagadapati Rajagopal was talking rubbish due to his money power. He also faulted the police for granting permission to Lagadapati for staging counter dharna. Stating that there was no need for him to give explanation to Tom, Dicken and Harry on the flyover issue, the TDP chief declared that they would continue the struggle till the Congress governments at the Centre and State construct the much needed flyover.
Pointing out that the problem of vehicular traffic was severe in Vijayawada and the people were facing hardships to visit the temple atop Indrakeeladri, the TDP president lashed out at the Congress government for its non-performance while his government had put Andhra Pradesh on the world map. “Some people, under intoxication of money and muscle power, were bragging that they would construct the flyover at their own expenses. But, we don’t want anybody’s mercy”, he declared.
Asking the Congress leaders to sit at home if they were not able to construct the flyover, Naidu challenged that he would have the flyover bridge construct within a year if engineers were sent to him. Stating that his government had rare distinction of laying roads and constructing flyovers unparalleled in the world, Naidu said that Vijayawada witnessed monumental progress only during his regime. Recalling the days of TDP rule, Naidu said while development was achieved during his regime, now Congress was only achieving corruption. He said while officials went up to greater heights during the TDP rule, now they were going to jails.
Alleging that there were attempts to demolish TDP, Naidu said none could do it as even leaders like Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rajasekhara Reddy had failed to do it. He said that it was because of the TDP that Congress, which was a national party, has now become a regional party.
Stating that population in Vijayawada has increased, he said the government should provide infrastructure to commensurate with it. Stating that Prakasham Barrage would face no danger because of the flyover, he said Congress leaders should resign if they could not construct the flyover. He has alleged that the Congress party was trying to hoodwink the people. He warned the ruling party that it would destroy itself if it wanted to harm TDP.
Police had a tough time to keep the two parties from literally colliding with each other as Lagadapati wanted to meet Naidu and discuss the matter with him. Ridiculing Naidu, Lagadapati, who is the chief of the construction major Lanco, said he would learn engineering techniques from Naidu and if he convinced him of the feasibility of construction of the flyover at this juncture, he would construct it with his own money. (NSS)