TDP MLA Rama Naidu sleeps in graveyard to dispel fear of ghosts from villagers' minds, wins praise

HYDERABAD: A TDP MLA from West Godavari has won praise from senior politicians and local residents, and become an overnight hero for going out of the way to fight superstition. 

According to ANI, Nimmala Rama Naidu – the TDP MLA from West Godavari – slept in a graveyard for three consecutive nights starting from June 22 to convince the local construction workers that there are no ghosts around in and outside a crematorium building which he wanted to renovate. 

He slept on a folding cot under the open sky in a mosquito-infested crematorium in his Palakole town in West Godavari for three consecutive nights.

Andhra Pradesh: TDP MLA from West Godavari Nimmala Naidu slept in graveyard in Palakole on June 22 to remove fear from minds of construction workers who are working on redevelopment project of graveyard.Municipal officers had told Naidu that workers were skipping work due to fear pic.twitter.com/eQnZfJeu9P — ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2018

Naidu, a first-time TDP legislator, had to do this to persuade the villagers to be able to renovate a crematorium, which was in shambles as the workers believed that any alteration with the building could anger 'ghosts' inside it.

Municipal officials too had told Naidu that workers were skipping work due to fear of ghosts.

However, after his 'ghost-busting' endeavour - which included dining at the crematorium – several labourers returned to the facility the next day.

After spending the first night out at the crematorium, the MLA told the villagers that he would spend some more nights to break the superstition of each and every one in the area. 

After his third night, the MLA was joined by hundreds of villagers who were now convinced that there were no 'ghosts' and that the construction work could start at the building.

The MLA's efforts earned him praise from Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of neighbouring state of Kerala. 

Mighty impressed, Vijayan called him ''a crusader against superstition.'' 

Rama Naidu’s efforts are therefore not a local affair. It should attract national attention because his is a fight against frivolous rituals and rampant superstition — Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) June 24, 2018

Rama Naidu is a crusader against superstition. He has decided spend more nights at this crematorium in Palakole of West Godavari district to instil confidence among workers who are afraid of ghosts — Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) June 24, 2018

TDP MLA Nimmala Rama Naidu deserves praise for spending a night at a crematorium where workers had refused to enter after dark to do modernisation work out of fear of ‘spirits’ pic.twitter.com/NLvP2yzNnw — Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) June 24, 2018

"TDP MLA Nimmala Rama Naidu deserves praise for spending a night at a crematorium where workers had refused to enter after dark to do modernisation work out of fear of 'spirits'. Rama Naidu is a crusader against superstition. He has decided to spend more nights at this crematorium in Palakole of West Godavari district to instil confidence among workers who are afraid of ghosts," Vijayan tweeted.