Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party State president N. Ramchander Rao on Friday urged people to extend municipal polls support to the BJP, asserting that a strong mandate was necessary to accelerate development across Telangana.
Speaking after offering darshan at the Sammakka-Sarakka shrine in Mulugu district, Rao said the Centre had been allocating substantial funds for the development of temples and tourism centres in the State. He cited Central assistance for projects at the Sammakka-Sarakka shrine, the Ramappa Temple, and the Laknavaram tourism centre.
Rao said these initiatives reflected the BJP-led government’s commitment to preserving cultural heritage while promoting tourism-led economic growth. He added that such development efforts would gain momentum if the BJP received municipal polls support from voters.
Municipal polls support key to temple and tourism projects
The BJP leader said the Ramappa Temple was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the efforts of the Narendra Modi government, with development works worth ₹150 crore currently underway. He added that the Centre had been extending annual assistance for the Sammakka-Sarakka Jatara, which attracts lakhs of devotees from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other states.
Highlighting educational initiatives, Rao said the Modi government had established the Sammakka-Sarakka Tribal University in Mulugu, creating education and employment opportunities for local youth. He also claimed that the BJP had played a key role in the formation of Mulugu district, stating that he had raised the issue in the Legislative Council during his tenure as an MLC.
Earlier in the day, BJP workers organised a large rally to welcome the State president ahead of his temple visit. Rao thanked party workers for their support and later visited the Gattamma temple, where he performed special pujas.