The Rayalaseema heartland hailed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder and former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao for conceiving and ushering in the Telugu Ganga project to irrigate the parched region, on the occasion of his 98th birth anniversary.
TDP leaders organised celebrations across the State on Friday. In Kadapa, the party’s State organising secretary Singareddy Govardhan Reddy garlanded the statue of the matinee idol-turned-politician, while others offered ‘palabhishekam’ (milk bath) and cut a cake to mark the occasion.
Hailing him as the ‘guiding light of the Telugus’, Mr. Govardhan Reddy said the region owed a lot to him not only for the Telugu Ganga project, but also the Rayalaseema Thermal Power Project in Kadapa. “NTR proved that the benefits of every government scheme can reach the deserving beneficiaries if one is devoted to serve the public,” he said.
Speakers also hailed NTR for launching pension schemes for widows and senior citizens, rice at ₹2 a kg, Janata Textiles, mandal set-up for decentralised administration, share in property to women and ensuring political empowerment of the Backward Classes. Party leaders P. Peeraiah and former city president Jeelani Basha were present.
In Tirupati, party leaders led by former MLA M. Sugunamma, TUDA ex-chairman G. Narasimha Yadav, corporator R.C. Munikrishna and State publicity convener Sridhar Varma garlanded a statue of NTR at Town Club circle and performed ‘Annadanam’ to the poor, in line with the directions from the party high command in the ‘Digital Mahanadu’.
Party leaders said the Sri Padmavati Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam (SPMVV), SVIMS super-specialty hospital and Annadanam canteen at Tirumala were the brainchild of NTR.
