Gollapudi (NTR district): Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) announced that Vijayawada Utsav is being organised on a grand scale to reflect the city’s rich spiritual and cultural glory. On Sunday, he, along with Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad, inspected the ongoing arrangements at the exhibition grounds near Gollapudi. Speaking to the media, the MP said the festival will be inaugurated on Monday at Punnami Ghat by former Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh, MLA Sujana Chowdary, and other ministers. He also mentioned that Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan has been invited and has consented to attend the celebrations on September 24.

Kesineni highlighted that farmers cultivating Devasthanam lands for the past 70 years readily gave up their crops to facilitate the exhibition, receiving compensation. With an investment of Rs 4 crore for land development, Devasthanam authorities expressed satisfaction as the grounds would generate revenue for the next 50 years.

He clarified that the legal disputes were related only to the exhibition grounds and not to the Vijayawada Utsav itself. Despite delays due to untimely rains and court proceedings, local residents and NDA leaders have been working tirelessly over the past ten days to ensure the success of the festival.

The exhibition, part of the celebrations, will be inaugurated by MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad on Monday morning. Recalling that the city once had a vibrant exhibition 12 years ago, the MP said it was his resolve to revive the tradition, especially for the benefit of lakhs of devotees visiting the city during the Dasara festivities. He also pointed out that the Vijayawada Utsav aims to offer not just entertainment but also spiritual enrichment to devotees of Goddess Kanaka Durga arriving from across India and abroad.

Spiritual and cultural programmes will be held at four locations in the city, alongside initiatives to revive vanishing art forms and support local artistes. The MP urged people to enjoy and participate wholeheartedly in the Vijayawada Utsav.

Leaders including Muttavarapu Murali Krishna (Vijayawada Utsav Committee), Jana Sena leader Akkala Gandhi, BJP in-charge Nutalapati Bala Koteswar Rao, TDP state secretary Jampala Sitaramayya, BJP district president Adduri Sriram, and several NDA functionaries took part in the review programme.