Telugu Desam Party (TDP) general secretary N. Lokesh on Tuesday collected soil and water from the house of his maternal grandfather and the party founder Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao here for the foundation stone laying ceremony of the capital city.
A group of TDP leaders including Machilipatnam Member of Parliament K. Narayana, TDP Krishna unit president B. Arjunudu and others participated in the programme.
Elders belonging to the Hindu, Christian and Muslim faiths were invited to perform special prayers before the soil was collected.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Lokesh said that NTR had striven all his life for the prosperity and self-respect of the Telugus.
“Collection of soil from the house, where my grandfather was born and spent his childhood, is a mark of respect to him,” he said.
The soil and water were kept inside the Venkateswara temple where priests would perform puja for the next three days before sending those to Amaravati.
Smart Village
Mr. Lokesh, who has adopted the village, will review the proposals prepared under the Smart Village programme for development of the village in the third week of October.
