Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Too early to talk of alliances: APCC chief

By Our Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD NOV. 19. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, D. Srinivas, has once again clarified that no talks have been initiated with other "friendly parties,'' including the Telangana Rastra Samiti (TRS).

Mr. Srinivas was replying to a question on the TRS chief's remarks that the Congress should refrain from issuing misleading statements on alliance at a press conference here this evening. He said so far no alliance had been decided and hastened to add that till date the poll schedule had not been announced and it was too early to react on the issue.

Nevertheless, he noted that any statement issued by the party high command and AICC office-bearers looking into the AP affairs or the PCC president, would be final. He said when the situation warranted State Congress leaders would hold in-depth discussions on the issue and take appropriate decision.

Accusing the caretaker Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, of hurting the sentiments of people by dissolving the Assembly, Mr. Srinivas said the former has belied the expectations of the electorate who had given the TDP two-thirds majority in the last elections. He said the people would teach him a fitting lesson for the unpopular decision which had been resented by his own partymen.

The PCC president made a suggestion that a clause should be incorporated in the Parliamentary Act which empowers the President of India to return to any State a request for dissolution of the Assembly ahead of the term. He said either this could be done by an Act of Parliament or through good tradition set by the President. Referring to the assertion made by Mr. Chandrababu Naidu that his party would go to the elections with the slogans of naxal violence and the Congress being hurdle to development and no different from the banned People's War. He said this was not at all an election issue for the TDP and added that Mr. Naidu was making such statements as he had lost confidence. He was not in a position to take any decision, Mr. Srinivas added.

He said the agreement reached between the Maharashtra and AP Governments on the long-pending Lendi irrigation project showed how a Congress Chief Minister like Sushil Kumar Shinde, would go out of way to reach an understanding on the issue. He also referred to the cordial reception accorded to Mr. Naidu during his visit to Bangalore to hold talks on Krishna waters.

He said the Congress manifesto would cover all issues such as pending irrigation projects, unemployment, irrigation front, power, agriculture, education, welfare, self-employment, rapid industrialisation and empowerment of women, etc.

Earlier, he participated in an Iftar party hoisted by minority Congress leaders.

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