When the Opposition parties including YSR Congress party under the banner of Pratyeka Hoda Samithi (Committee to achieve special category status) called for Andhra Pradesh bandh on Monday last, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister opposed it.
He said the bandh had cost Rs 12 crore loss to AP State Road Transport Corporation, as it could not run buses for a single day, besides causing indirect loss to the business and industry.
But believe it or not, the TDP government is learnt to be spending Rs 30 crore on the chief minister’s one-day fast at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada and elsewhere in the state on Friday to protest against the indifferent attitude of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in meting out justice to the state.
The cost of arrangements for Naidu’s fast Vijayawada and the minister’s fast in all district headquarters is not less than Rs 20 crore.The Indira Gandhi Stadium has been fully decked up. Tents are being erected to enable 15000 persons sit at the site.
There would be very good sound systems and the stage would be decorated aesthetically. Air conditioners have been installed. Those sitting on deeksha would be supplied with cool drinks and butter milk.
Colleges and DWCRA groups have been asked to send their members so that there is a good attendance at the deeksha site.More than 200 RTC buses and 100 private buses have been pressed into service. The whole expenditure is being born by the state exchequer.
Besides, the government is learnt to have bought live telecast rights of deeksha from six television channels at the rate of Rs 1 crore per channel. This is apart from advertisements in media, outdoor publicity and mobile publicity.
“The total expenditure is around Rs 30 crore. The tax payers are being penalised for Naidu’s publicity” an official commented.
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