Minister makes his own public opinion

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">RAJAHMUNDRY, AP: The state government is organising village-level meetings to elicit public opinion on its free power promise but it has come up against a wall of silence. Villagers have just not been forthcoming with their views. At the first <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">gram sabha</span> conducted in Razavolu village in the Kadiam constituency on Wednesday, roads and buildings minister J Ramamohana Rao was embarrassed as his eager queries received no response at all.<br /><br />After repeated prods, one villager stirred and asked if the minister could kindly persuade the government to permit the sale of arrack? No other villager had anything to say on the only item on the agenda, free power.<br /><br />After his efforts to excite a debate failed, the minister went ahead with the rites of the assembly.<br /><br />He proposed that the <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">gram sabha</span> adopt a resolution on free power.<br /><br />His retinue shuffled uneasily as the villagers simply gazed back at the <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">mantri garu</span>.To melt the ice, the minister proposed a resolution himself. The villagers only waited for more action on the dais. After a few gawking moments, the minister proceeded to pronounce the resolution as passed. The Congress activists standing by supplied the applause.<br /><br />It has been the minister''s lot to go from village to village to conduct such exercises. The second day of the <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">gram sabha</span> on Thursday at Katheru village too was no different as people showed no interest in free power but eagerly lined up to garland the minister.</div> </div>