Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

CM denies sidelining MLAs, Ministers

By Our Special Correspondent

VIJAYAWADA MAY 17. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has asserted that Ministers would have final say in all matters and refuted the contention that "official raj'' is prevailing in the State.

Speaking to newspersons here today, he said that he had to strike a delicate balance between political leaders and bureaucrats. "Otherwise, you yourself would complain that the administration is politicised,'' he observed. He however hastened to add that political leaders' say should prevail in a democratic set-up.

Newspersons brought to the notice of the Chief Minister that even TDP MLAs and Ministers were sulking that they had been marginalised ever since the Chief Minister was holding videoconferences and giving directions to Collectors directly.

Zilla Parishad members too complained that they were neither consulted nor involved in any of the development programmes or drought relief measures. Mr. Naidu said he was interacting with elected representatives at different levels and taking their views into consideration.

Mr. Naidu tried to make light of the padayatra undertaken by the CLP leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. "YSR is getting only petitions relating to individual problems like ration cards, old-age pensions, house-sites, etc,'' he said. The TDP Government had been going to people and receiving their representations for the last seven-and-a-half years.

He expressed satisfaction over drought relief measures and asserted that there was no dearth of employment opportunities for agricultural labourers. The Government had decided to enhance the estimates by one hundred per cent over the standard rates to enable panchayats to take up works. Action would be taken against those sarpanches who failed to take up works.

Mr. Naidu, who came here on a surprise visit, went round the city to inspect implementation of the Rs. 300-crore Chief Minister`s package for city development.

He expressed satisfaction over the works except those of the Roads and Buildings Department. He gave instructions to officials to complete the works in a time-bound programme. He assured the people that Vijayawada would be make one of the best cities in the country in the next four or five years.

To a question, he said the Pulichintala project would be taken up after convincing people of other regions. Regarding Alamatti, he said that the Government would file a petition before the tribunal soon.

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