Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday ruled out the possibility of early elections and termed speculation on it as ‘baseless.’
“Our government will successfully complete a full term before the polls in the year 2019,” he told a press conference here.
“I do not know where the rumour came from. In tune with our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah’s instructions, we have been working hard and preparing for the 2019 elections,” he said.
“We have been given a mandate of five years and we will complete the full tenure and go to polls. Any talk about mid-term polls has no basis,” Mr. Naidu said.
To a question about categorisation of Scheduled Castes, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party favoured it but stressed the need for discussion and consensus.
On problems faced by chilli farmers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Mr. Naidu said he had raised the issue with the Union Agriculture Minister.
However, while the Centre was ready to help, State governments too needed to take the necessary steps.
Real Estate Act
He expressed happiness that the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act was coming into effect from Monday. “I am happy that our hard labour has paid off and the landmark legislation is becoming a reality after nine years,” he said, pointing out that it had taken five years for the United Progressive Alliance Government to introduce the Real Estate Bill in the Rajya Sabha, in 2013.
As per the assurance he had given in Parliament, the Act mandated that developers refund payments to buyers within 45 days.
The Act was a win-win situation for both buyers and developers, bringing in much-desired transparency, accountability and efficiency in the key sector.
On ‘triple talaq’
As for ‘triple talaq’, he said, it was not a religious issue as it had no sanction in the Shariat.
It was a matter of right to equality and right to live with dignity for Muslim women and appealed it should not be politicised.
Mr. Naidu said he had seen Bahubali: The Conclusion with its director S.S. Rajamouli and commended it for taking Telugu cinema to Hollywood heights.
Earlier, he called on director K. Viswanath and congratulated him for bagging the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award.
