The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders and activists in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana paid rich tributes to the party’s founder president and former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao on the occasion of his 25th death anniversary on Monday.
TDP national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu paid floral tributes to Rama Rao at the NTR Ghat in Hyderabad. Later in the day, he participated in a programme organised at the TDP central office at Mangalagiri.
Speaking the occasion, Mr. Naidu said that Rama Rao had sown the seeds of welfare schemes. Listing out some of the welfare scheme by the TDP founder such as Janata clothes, pucca houses, farmers’ welfare, ₹2 per kg rice, Mr. Naidu said, “NTR gave a new definition to politics by ushering in a new era of welfare for the backward and weaker sections of the society.”
Landmark policies
“NTR had introduced many landmark policies which included the right to property for women which the Government of India made into a law eventually. He had put efforts to promote women education and set up a Mahila University. NTR had ushered in several people-friendly initiatives such as mandal and single window systems for administrative convenience,” recalled Mr. Naidu.
Reiterating that the TDP had written many letters to the Union government seeking conferment of Bharat Ratna on NTR, he said the Centre has to consider the outstanding services rendered by NTR at the national level.
“It was NTR who brought all non-Congress parties including the BJP and the Left parties to a single platform. His role in providing an alternative to the Congress was memorable,” said Mr. Naidu. Responding to statements that NTR Ghat would be demolished, Mr. Naidu likened it to ‘destroying the very culture of Telugu people’.
