The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Congress-led front will come to power at Centre: Jaipal Reddy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 07, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Congress-led front will come to power at Centre: Jaipal Reddy

By Our Staff Reporter

NANDIGAMA, APRIL 6. The All-India Congress Committee's official spokesman, S. Jaipal Reddy, on Tuesday said a secular front, led by the Congress party, would form the Government at the Centre after the elections.

Replying to reporters' queries after addressing a public meeting here, Mr. Reddy said barring Uttar Pradesh, the Congress had reached an electoral understanding in all other States across the county. The party, however, had to secure a winning strength from Uttar Pradesh where the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party were at loggerheads, he admitted. When his attention was drawn to the fact that several senior Congress leaders in the State had defected to the Telugu Desam Party after being denied ticket, Mr. Reddy said defections at the time of elections was a common trend for all political parties. "It would be wrong to say that only the Congress is facing this problem,'' he asserted.

Stating emphatically that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA coalition Government at the Centre would not get majority in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leader said: "The situation is volatile at the moment.'' Referring to the political climate in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Reddy said he could clearly see an anti-Telugu Desam Party wave here.

Earlier, addressing a huge gathering outside the Mandal Revenue Office where the Congress candidate for the Nandigama Assembly constituency, Vasantha Nageswara Rao, filed his nomination papers, Mr. Reddy lashed out at the Chandrababu Naidu Government.

Continuing his tirade against the Chief Minister, he said this was not the party floated by late N.T. Rama Rao. "This is a fake TDP which has brought disrepute to the democratic values cherished by the late leader. NTR would turn in his grave if he witnessed the TDP's `misrule' in the State today,'' he contended. Mr. Reddy's remarks drew thunderous applause from the people who started showering petals on the leaders on the dais. "We expect people to rain votes on us, not petals,'' he said in a lighter vein. He criticised Mr. Naidu for what he alleged the prolonged neglect of the farming community. The agriculture sector was a shambles pushing farmers into a debt trap, he lamented.

"Mr. Naidu must be very tired after travelling continuously for the past nine years. I, therefore, humbly request you to give him rest now,'' he quipped adding, "I would like to see Mr. Naidu relax and watch the Congress efficiently ruling the State.'' Mr. Vasantha Nageswara Rao, party candidate for the Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency, Lagadapati Rajagopal, the former Union Minister, P. Upendra and a host of other local Congress leaders were present.

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