For once, YSR Congress general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP V Vijay Sai Reddy’s calculations have gone wrong.
Ever since the release of a commemorative coin on legendary actor, former chief minister of combined Andhra Pradesh and Telugu Desam Party founder-president N T Rama Rao brought all the family members of N T Rama Rao together at New Delhi on Monday, Sai Reddy has been taking pot shots at the family.
Pooh-poohing the attempts of the TDP leaders to making a big hungama on the release of Rs 100 commemorative coin on NTR, Sai Reddy wondered why they were making the event a big celebration.
“NTR memorial coin has absolutely no utility value. It will remain like a flower which cannot be used for worshipping the god. It will not be in circulation in the market like other coins and currency,” he said.
He added: “Moreover, its value has been decided as Rs 4,160 by the Union finance ministry. For such non-utility coin, Chandrababu and his gang have made a lot of hungama. Who will purchase those 12,000 coins printed at Mint, Mr Babu? Will you get them purchased by your Heritage?”
But Sai Reddy’s comments proved wrong. The special commemorative Rs 100 coins of NTR were sold like hot cakes in the market within hours of being put up for sale.
There was a huge rush at the counters of India Government Mint at Charlapally and Saifabad Mint on Tuesday, after the official portal of Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India displayed ‘out of stock’ for online purchase.
Several numismatists and diehard supporters of NTR who wanted to buy the coin, thronged the two sale counters at the Mint to buy the coins, irrespective of the cost. On the first day itself, nearly 5,000 coins were sold.
Saifabad Mint officials said that the sale of coins will continue up to September 4 and based on the demand, the date will be extended further.
