Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

Congress lacks policy on Krishna water: Naidu

By Our Staff Reporter

GUNTUR, APRIL 20. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, at his first public meeting in Bapatla on Tuesday after the first phase of polling exuded confidence that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will return to power again as "it has fared very well in Telangana.''

Poor performance by the Congress-Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) combine in Telangana was expected as their alliance was opportunistic and not based on ideology, he said criticising them for supporting the naxalites by openly declaring that the extremists' agenda would be pursued. "A vote in favour of the Congress-TRS combine will amount to a vote for naxalites and they will freely move in villages if their Government comes to power,'' he observed.

Criticising the Congress for lack of a proper policy on Krishna waters, he held them responsible for allowing the height of the Alamatti Dam to be increased and not advising the Karnataka Chief Minister to stop the project. The TDP, he said, had made efforts to get it stopped by approaching a court of law. The Congress had put hindrances in taking up of the Pulichintala Reservoir Project, he alleged and said if completed, it would have benefited the Krishna delta farmers immensely. "Efforts to provide water to the Krishna delta farmers through Nagarjunasagar Left Main Canal also met with resistance, but my bold initiative brought some relief,'' he added. He promised to reduce the sales tax on Liquefied Petroleum Gas once he comes back to power and absorb the hike in LPG price benefiting all the 25 lakh Deepam connection holders in the State.

Self-sufficiency among women would increase in future as he proposes to increase the amount of loans to the DWCRA members. The TDP, he said, had given ticket to 50 women across the State compared with 20 by the Congress and added that the number would be enhanced to 100 next time. Referring to the reduced price of chillis, he said though his Government had announced minimum purchase price and was buying in large quantities, the Election Commission code of conduct had tied up his hands. "The EC cannot stop us after April 26 and we will take care of the farmers,'' he said.

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