ANANTAPUR: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's hour-long speech and interactions at the Praja Vedika in Gundumala village, Madakasira mandal, Satya Sai district on Thursday were disrupted by heavy rainfall. Undeterred by the downpour, Naidu addressed the public for over 30 minutes, while villagers instinctively used their chairs as makeshift umbrellas to shield themselves from the rain. The Praja Vedika, located near the Kariyamma temple, evoked the atmosphere of traditional gram panchayat meetings.
Naidu viewed the rain as a positive sign and continued his speech under an umbrella. After the meeting, he braved the rain to reach his car on his way to the helipad. The Chief Minister distributed old-age pensions to Ramanna, Obulamma, and Ranganath at their homes, and visited a mulberry shed and garden.
The Chief Minister also promised to complete the Handri Neeva project and announced plans for two new reservoirs in the Madakasira assembly segment. Naidu also promised to complete the pending Handri Neeva project, further aiding water resources in the area.
Referring to a representation from MLA MS Raju, Naidu also promised to sanction NH connectivity between Penukonda and Hiriyur via Madakasira.
During his speech, Naidu criticised former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“Jagan never held a public meeting as openly as I have today. All the trees here remain untouched, with no cutting or disruptions, and there have been no arrests of opposition party leaders,” Naidu remarked.
