The festive atmosphere created by Telugu Desam activists in the city vanished into thin air with strict implementation of the election code of conduct just two days ahead of Vastunna Meekosam padaytra of party president N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The election code has watered down their spirits and as much as Rs.2 crore spent on the banners and publicity materials has gone in vain.
The district machinery removed all the banners, festoons, buntings and flags erected by the Telugu Desam leaders in every nook and corner of the city.
The ticket aspirants and those who wish to gain access to the power centre have come out in good number of flex banners to paint the city yellow.
The money spent on publicity material was an indication of hope in the party circles of Telugu Desam doing well in the coming 2014 elections.
A TDP leader said that their activists toiled day and night to erect the banners and hoardings.
A lot of efforts went into preparations. It was yellow and nothing but yellow that welcomed any person who hit the city roads. “But, all efforts have not paid off,” he lamented.
According to a rough estimate 1,000 banners were erected welcoming Mr. Naidu. When contacted TDP Vijayawada (Central) in-charge Bonda Umamaheswara Rao said that it was a plot of Vijayawada MP and city MLAs.
“They could not digest the public response to the padayatra,” he said. They mounted pressure on officials and got the banners removed.
There was no party symbol for the MLC Graduates Council constituency elections. Despite this the banners were removed. “We will move the court of law. The banners and hoardings will come up again even before the party president enters the city,” he asserted.
