Gudimalkapuram: Hectic activity that began on the Choutuppal-Gudimalkapuram road on Tuesday when lorries carrying metal and earthmover levelling the ground to lay a fresh layer over a damaged road vindicated the locals’ belief that the bypoll to Munugode Assembly constituency would herald a new era of development.
With the sensational Huzurabad bypoll fresh in mind, the electorate here was confident of the Munugode constituency drawing attention of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao who they felt would announce a slew of projects and welfare schemes ahead of the byelection. The government’s hurried moves, however, may prove counter-productive as the people were accepting it with a pinch of salt.
“Why did they neglect the repairs so far? Why are they rushing to do it now? It is just because of the talk of the bypoll,” complained Venkatesam, residing near the age-old broken fort gate of Samsthan Narayanapur, speaking hours before K. Rajgopal Reddy announced his resignation from the Congress. Similar were the feelings echoed by a mobile shop attendant at Munugode. “Some projects have been pending since YSR regime and now we hope they will be implemented,” he said adding that the credit for fulfilling the long pending dream would indeed go to Rajgopal Reddy.
A group of women waiting to draw Aasara pension at the sub-post office in Puttapaka expressed serious concern over the increase in prices of essential commodities. “KCR saaru is giving us pension of `2,000 every month. But its meagre given the high prices of oil and other commodities,” lamented Mekala Parvathamma, a septuagenarian. Another senior citizen, Yellaiah, sitting beside the group was agitated over the benefits of development being pocketed by a few corrupt and influential leaders.
Venkatesham’s aging mother also complained against the local officials not extending pension to her even three years after death of his father and similar was the complaint of Jayamma, a cattle grazer residing on the outskirts of Chandur town.
Another farmer of the same village, however, gave full credit for turning agriculture into a profit-making activity to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. “His irrigation initiatives and quality power supply changed our lives. Sometimes nature may turn adversary but it is not his fault,” he pointed out.
