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India shining only for affluent, says Bardhan

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, APRIL 15. The Communist Party of India general secretary, A. B. Bardhan, said today that the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh was headed for defeat in the elections.

"Naidu will meet his `Waterloo' this time," Mr. Bardhan said, even as he added that he did not see the possibility of the BJP or NDA getting a majority in Parliament.

The Governments at the Centre and in the State have economically harmed the poor, the farmers, workers, employees, small-scale industries, artisans and weavers. The "feel good" was only for a small section of the affluent, he said.

He charged the State Government with ignoring the irrigation sector and making poll promises when irate voters cornered them. He also said that the CPI was committed to providing free power to small and marginal farmers in upland areas and said that the subsidy would not only save Government money in drought relief but would also increase agricultural productivity and reduce hunger. Referring to the stampede in Lucknow in which 22 women were killed, Mr. Bardhan said that the BJP must be held accountable for the "ghastly incident" and that no amount of verbal jugglery could absolve the Prime Minister and his poll aide, Lalji Tandon, from responsibility.

He refused to comment on how the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, viewed the stampede but added that his party believed Mr. Yadav would help form a secular government at the Centre.The CPI State secretary and Lok Sabha candidate from Nalgonda, S. Sudhakar Reddy, alleged that the police were harassing Left party workers under the pretext of fighting naxalites and called for a halt to the "political harassment."

He appealed to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti candidates, to withdraw from the contest.

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