The Hindu : TDP to take battle to EC camp

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 15, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP to take battle to EC camp

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 14. The Telugu Desam Party on Sunday stepped its criticism of the Election Commission by describing as "unfortunate'' its directive to stop ongoing welfare schemes like supply of free gas connnections to women.

Clearly stung by the adverse notice the EC has taken of several actions of the TDP and the Government, the TDP Politburo member, K. Yerran Naidu, said the Commission was not above the Constitution of India.

The model code of conduct prohibited launching of new schemes or offer of jobs but did not bar implementation of ongoing schemes.

Reiterating his party's resolve to take up a legal battle against the Commission's directions, he said the TDP would hold the Congress squarely responsible for stopping well-meant schemes like construction of individual sanitary latrines. "Our anxiety is only to see that programmes for the poor are not discontinued. The Congress will pay a heavy price for stopping them.''

Mr. Naidu said his party had furnished "documentary evidence'' to the Chief Electoral Officer to show that the booklet "100 months of development' was published by the TDP last year itself. Unfortunately, Congress leaders were ferreting out old literature relating to existing schemes to the EC, which had its own limitations in verifying complaints.

His remarks at a press conference here today came after the TDP president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, asserted that the party was abiding by the election code in letter and spirit. He had switched over to a private helicopter for participating in the TDP's flag festival programme and changed the venue of the "Spoorthi'' programme to the party office after the EC announced the poll schedule.

Addressing a day-long training camp for functionaries of the TDP's legal cell, the party supremo said the Congress was exposing its political bankruptcy by blowing small issues out of proportion. He said Congress leaders had lodged a strong complaint with the EC against the TDP for the live telecast of the Women's Day celebrations. But, they had no qualms when the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi's recent tour of AP was also shown live on several channels.

The Congress had become desperate as opinion polls were giving it no chance to come back to power. Its leaders were, therefore, resorting to litigation in courts and filing complaints with the EC on a daily basis. It had filed 19 writs in the High Court challenging a range of programmes like Janmabhoomi and lost all of them.

Accusing Congress leaders of resorting to "blackmail tactics'' against the Chief Secretary to undermine the morale of the bureaucracy and holding out veiled threats to the police, he said none would be cowed down. He also charged the former CLP leader, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, with misleading election officials by stating that he had sent letters only to 10,000 DWCRA women when the actual number was 10 lakhs.

Referring to the controversy over distribution of bags carrying his portrait to CMEY beneficiaries, he said it was the mistake of officials of Adilabad and the party had nothing to do with it. "The Congress is quite capable of doing such things to tarnish the TDP's image," he said.

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Andhra Pradesh