To dispel fears, AP MLA sleeps at cremation site

HYDERABAD: A legislator of Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has been sleeping at a cremation ground in his constituency to help brush away the paranormal fears of the construction workers engaged the site’s modernisation.

“I am going to sleep in the same place for another two to three days. This is to instil confidence among the workers, who were otherwise scared of entering the premises,” Nimmala Rama Naidu, the MLA from Palakole constituency said.

According to Naidu, the Hindu crematorium had remained neglected for several decades. “There are no proper facilities for cremation of dead bodies. The entire cremation ground is slushy during rainy season and one cannot even step into the place. There is a huge garbage dumping yard just adjacent to it emanating stench,” the TDP legislator said.

The MLA managed to get ₹3 crore sanctioned from the government to revamp the crematorium but the modernisation work hit a hurdle when construction workers refused to enter the graveyard.“A few days ago, they noticed a partially burnt corpse on the cremation site. They were very much frightened and refused to take up the work,” he said.

According to Naidu, it was then that he decided to sleep in the graveyard to prove to the workers that there was nothing to be afraid of.

“I slept in the premises the whole night and it worked. On Saturday, about 50 workers returned to resume the construction,” he said.

The first-time MLA also admitted that his decision was motivated by the upcoming state polls. “After all, elections to the state assembly are not very far. We need to be in the good books of the people,” he said.