Contradicting the view that the Congress has gone into oblivion in Andhra Pradesh, Opposition Leader in the Legislative Assembly C. Ramachandraiah argues that the party will regain power. “People will have no option than voting for the Congress in the next elections, as the hype being created by the BJP and the TDP will not fetch votes,” he said at a party meeting in Kadapa on Sunday. The Congress’ vote bank, according to him, went in favour of the YSRC in the last elections, and the YSRC’s vote bank will never go to the TDP, he maintains.
“The Congress faced a poll debacle due to Mr. Chandrababu Naidu’s vicious propaganda that the party was responsible for bifurcation of the State,” Mr. Ramachandraiah says. “The TDP’s initial strength was N.T. Rama Rao and later Mr. Naidu, but the Congress’ strength is its policies,” he emphasised.
‘Swachh’ drive yet to touch Collectorate
The call for Swachh Bharat and Swachh Andhra Pradesh has evoked good response in Chittoor district.
But for some strange reasons, the complex housing the Collectorate and a few other important offices have been left untouched. The fact that District Collector Siddharth Jain is known for speedy redressal of public grievances has raised officials’ hopes that the Collectorate building will transform into a clean and beautiful zone as part of the drive. But the building continues to be a picture of neglect, with weeds, plastic bags and garbage strewn across the place.
The garden works seem unattended for long, while the backyard has been reduced to a dumping yard. Most officials taking this route to go to the canteen speak of not just bushes and garbage but even snakes.
Brake to the race
Several motorists in the temple city of Tirupati considered the digital countdown timer on traffic signals as a racing indicator! They rev up their idling engines and sneak their way into the oncoming traffic even while a few seconds are left on the clock.
A repeat of the action was witnessed when the signal turned from amber to red. Not any more, thanks to the introduction of surveillance measures (CCTV cameras) and removal of the countdown timer at junctions.
A traffic official, monitoring the situation at N.T.R. Circle, says the sudden change has left motorists speculating, albeit unsuccessfully, on the duration of change in signals.
“Earlier, we had problems, as they (motorists) moved past the junction in the last few seconds.
Now that the timer is gone, they have no choice but to wait for the signals to change.”
Besides, issue of e-challans has also dampened the racing spirits of the motorists, the official says.
(With inputs from
M.V. Subramanyam in Kadapa, K. Umashanker in Chittoor and B.Venkat Sandeep in Tirupati)
