Former Tirupati MLA and Rajya Sabha member K Chiranjeevi on Friday stated that he would take the by-election of Tirupati assembly constituency as a challenge and prestige issue for the Congress party.
Addressing an election meeting at Rama Tulasi Kalyanamandapam here, Chiranjeevi said that the development which took place during his stint and Congress period would benefit the party in elections. Stating that he has to quit from Tirupati assembly constituency due to his election to Rajya Sabha, he said that he would take the by-election as challenge and focus his entire attention the seat for the Congress party.
“Though the party has sent me to Rajya Sabha, I will never disassociate myself from Tirupati and make all efforts for the development of constituency,” he said.
Chiranjeevi accused YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy of unnecessarily politicizing the welfare schemes by claiming that the government diluted his father YSR’s programmes. Stating that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy never diluted the welfare schemes of YSR, he asked Jagan Mohan Reddy to come out with complete details of the scheme which got diluted.
The Congress MP appealed to the party cadre to take the government's welfare schemes and programmes at the doorsteps of people and seek votes in favour of Congress.
Addressing the rally, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy accused Jagan Mohan Reddy of trying to break the Congress party. He appealed to party rank and file to effectively tackle the malicious campaign launched by Opposition parties against the government. Stating that Jagan was not serious about people's welfare, he said Jagan constructed a big palace in one lakh sq ft area for himself. He also accused Jagan of having links with criminals.
Kiran Kumar promised that he would take all measures for the development of Tirupati and Chittoor district on top priority.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana called upon party workers to work like soldiers in a war and work for the victory of party candidate Venkata Ramana. He accused TDP chief N Chandrababau Naidu of playing gimmicks with people to get votes in favour of his party. However, he said that the people would not believe Naidu and teach him a fitting lesson in the elections.
Earlier, the PCC chief conducted a meeting with party workers and briefed them about campaigning methods.