The Hindu : YSR mum on desertion talk

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR mum on desertion talk

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, JAN. 31. The former Congress Legislature Party leader, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on Saturday said the Congress should regain power for serving people in distress.

Speaking to newsmen at his farm house at Idupalapaya in Vempalle mandal, Dr. Reddyu declined to comment on the reports that three senior Congress leaders were planning to cross over to the Telugu Desam Party or related developments. He also declined to comment on remarks that some leaders were preparing to quit the party, unable to get along with him. The former CLP leader said his main objective was to ensure that the Congress regained power.

The Congress won nine Assembly seats in Chittoor district four years ago, but would win all the 15 seats in the coming polls, Dr. Reddy maintained. The people were vexed with the Government's `anti-farmer' policies and rampant unemployment and were favouring the Congress, he said.

He wondered why the Government-run dairy was steeped in losses when Heritage Foods, belonging to the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's wife in Chittoor district, was making profits.

The Chandrababu Naidu Government had failed to set up any new industrial unit that generated employment at least to 500 persons in the last eight years, but was planning to sell away the factories set up during Congress rule, he alleged. DWCRA members were disenchanted as they were getting 25 paise interest on their deposits, but had to pay an interest of Re. 1.25 if they took loans, he said. No benefit accrued to DWCRA members, except that they were serving as audience at TDP meetings, he alleged.

The people of the State were hard hit by the steep rise in power tariff, bus fares and LPG cylinders and the poorer sections would benefit if the Congress regained power, he said.

Dr. Reddy said he would not even `dream' of actions that would weaken the party and was prepared for any sacrifice to ensure that the Congress romped home. Referring to the free power promise, he said delta farmers were cultivating two crops a year through canal water by paying water cess of Rs. 300 whereas those of upland areas were unable to bear the high power charges on borewells. Hence the latter required subsidised power, he said.

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Andhra Pradesh