The TDP cadre on Friday took out a massive rally from TDP MLA and actor N. Balakrishna’s house in Hindupur to the Potti Sriramulu statue and from there to the Ambedkar statue, where they sat raising slogans demanding that Hindupur be made the new district headquarters. “The TDP councillors have already announced their willingness to resign if Hindupur is not declared the district headquarters, and if the YSRCP councillors too come forward, I too will resign,” Mr. Balakrishna said while addressing the media after an hour’s ‘silent protest’.
Dig at YSRCP
The YSRCP had announced creating new districts based on the Lok Sabha constituency in their pre-poll promises, but, for its own political gains and personal agenda, changed many and declared Puttaparthi as the headquarters of the Sri Sathya Sai district, Mr. Balakrishna alleged. “Hindupur has all the basic amenities and a large bank of 600 acres of government land, which makes it the first choice,” he added. Meanwhile, an all-party delegation led by Mr. Balakrishna proposes to meet District Collector Nagalakshmi Selavarajan on Saturday and submit a representation on the issue. A massive rally is proposed on Saturday.Former Penukonda MLA and Hindupur TDP district president B.K. Parthasarathi, however, was tightlipped and refused to react on the issue, as there was a strong movement in Penukonda to make it the district headquarters. Ironically, R&B Minister M. Sankaranarayana is also non-committal on the issue and has been toeing the government line.