Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Poll promises will not help TDP this time: TRS chief

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Dec. 12. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president, K. Chandrasekhara Rao, has demanded the resignation of the "caretaker" Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, saying it is "immoral" on his part to continue in office for such a long period.

"Mr. Naidu should resign and pave the way for imposition of President's Rule, with the Election Commission nearly rejecting his plea for holding early elections," Mr. Rao said at a press conference here on Friday.

The TRS leader charged Mr. Naidu with making tall promises before elections and forgetting them later. He cited as examples the way foundation was laid for the Devadula project on the Godavari in Warangal and the slew of projects announced for Mahabubnagar district just before the local bodies elections. There was no further action on them and all lift irrigation schemes remained where they were.

He said the Chief Minister was adopting the same strategy again for the coming Assembly elections, but people in the region would not give in to such "gimmicks". They made known their intentions during the Panchayat elections, when, despite all promises, Telugu Desam candidates fared miserably. It would be a repeat, and all those parties opposing Telangana would bite the dust.

Mr. Rao did not spare the Congress either and said the party continued to dither without taking a clear stand on separate Telangana. By such attitude, the Congress was confusing the voters in the Telangana region. The party leaders should answer whether they were for a separate State for Telangana or not. "If they say no, we will stop making appeals to them." However, he had a word of praise for leaders of the Congress Forum for Telangana, who he said waged a persistent battle within the party.

On Telugu Desam's contention that there was more development in Telangana region during its rule than that of the Congress, he said it was a question of interpretation.

When Nagarjuna Sagar was originally planned it was estimated to cost Rs. 90 crores, but so far Rs. 1,000 crores was spent to bring 21 lakh acres under cultivation. "What is the actual extent now and how much of it is in Telangana?" he questioned.

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