Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will mark the Central government’s offer of 10% reservation for the economically backward classes in the general category by cutting a cake at Siddhartha auditorium here at 9.30 a.m. on January 21, according to a press release by BJP Vijayawada Parliamentary Party convener K. Dileep.
Mr. Gadkari will also address a party meeting at the same venue on various issues before proceeding to Akiveedu in West Godavari district to participate in the inauguration/foundation laying of some national highway projects.
Meanwhile, BJP State president Kanna Lakshminarayana, party’s Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) affairs in-charge V. Muraleedharan, co in-charge Sunil Deodhar and others discussed organisational matters and strategy for the 2019 elections at the State party office in Guntur.
Speaking to media persons, Mr. Lakshminarayana said A.P. has got ₹3 lakh crore from Mr. Gadkari’s Ministry alone in the last four-and-a-half years but Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu made it a habit to accuse the Central government of doing nothing for the State.
The Centre gave ₹24,000 crore to A.P. for rural development after the TDP quit the NDA and snapped its ties with the BJP, Mr. Lakshminarayana added.
Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao reiterated that the State government was steeped in corruption, notably in the implementation of the housing scheme.
BJP national secretary Satya Kumar, Mahila Morcha national in-charge Daggubati Purandeswari, MLC Somu Veerraju, Visakhapatnam north MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju and State vice-president T. Nagabhushanam were among those present.