Not LS seat, trip to learn AP farmers’ plight, says PM

‘‘It would be a matter of immense pride for us if Singh chooses the Nandyal seat,’’ Reddy said.

Reddy, along with the party MLAs from Kurnool district, would meet the PM during his visit to Somayajulupalli village. Nandyal was once represented by former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. Singh, however, dismissed the reports that his visit to the state was meant to discuss a safe Lok Sabha seat. He told reporters in Delhi that the purpose of his visit was to ‘‘learn about the plight of farmers and what we can do to relieve their distress’’.

Besides visiting two villages, he will be meeting Chief Minister Y.S.R. Reddy and senior officials to discuss the ryots’ problems. Incidentally, this is the first time that a PM is visiting the state to gain first-hand knowledge about the plight of farmers. Soon after his arrival around 10 am, Singh will proceed to Somayajulupalli in Kurnool district. He will spend over an hour in the village, talking to kin of the farmers who have committed suicide.

The PM will also distribute financial assistance to the tune of Rs 76.5 lakh to families of 51 victims in the district. Next, he will visit Dharmapur in the neighbouring Mahboobnagar district. Here too, he will not hold any public meeting and will only interact with farmers and their families.

The PM will return to Hyderabad in the evening and hold a review meeting with Raj Bhavan officials to take stock of the relief measures undertaken by the government. The state government is scheduled to submit a memorandum to him, seeking Central aid.