The Hindu : `Simultaneous polls likely in April-May'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

`Simultaneous polls likely in April-May'

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD DEC. 27. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is preparing itself to face early elections to the Lok Sabha, possibly along with Assembly polls.

The party has not ruled out simultaneous polls in April-May in which case the vote-on-account budget for the State will be placed for the Governor's approval and later for the President's ratification. These issues figured prominently at the politburo meeting of the Telugu Desam chaired by its president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, here on Saturday. The possibility of simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and the Assembly was indicated by Mr. Naidu to colleagues on the politburo, sources said. The meeting also sought to dispel the fears of its leaders that President's rule may be imposed in the State.

The TD Politburo called upon its cadre to gear up for early Lok Sabha elections as the BJP-led NDA Government had dropped broad hints to the effect. It discussed the strategy to counter criticism that the NDA coalition had advanced Lok Sabha elections for political reasons after promising a stable Government to last a full term.

Earlier, a large delegation of TDP leaders from Anantapur led by the Minister for Animal Husbandry, N. Kishtappa, who called on Mr. Naidu to request a package for the drought-hit district, was also sounded by the Chief Minister about early Lok Sabha polls.

The politburo appreciated the progress reports of various departments being presented by Mr. Naidu on private TV channels. It was decided to prepare a compendium of all the reports in the form of a book and release it at the training programme for booth-level conveners of the party here on January 9.

The meeting decided to give a four per cent rebate on cooperative loans to cyclone-hit farmers. Their loans would also be rescheduled. The 90 per cent subsidy on seed given to farmers all over the State would be extended in the cyclone-ravaged areas.

The meeting appealed to the State Government to urge the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to purchase discoloured paddy from the cyclone-hit areas relaxing its procurement guidelines.

If the FCI expressed its inability, the State Government would lift the stocks. The politburo lauded the State Government for its reaction on the stamp paper scandal. It wanted stepping up of the communication network of the party ahead of the elections.

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