The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Congress asks officials not to move files

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Monday, Apr 26, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Congress asks officials not to move files

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, APRIL 25. The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president, D. Srinivas, has appealed to the Chief Secretary and all Government officials not to "move files" till the new Government takes charge. He also promised water for two crops in Krishna delta "under any circumstances.''

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday, Mr. Srinivas said, "In all fairness, file movement should be stopped so that the new Government can take its own decisions." The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was rushing files through in the Secretariat before the declaration of results, he said and added that this was "clear proof'' that TDP was losing the elections. He also accused Mr. Naidu of gross misuse of Government machinery in the elections and said that some senior officials had "acquiesced in this under pressure.''

Mr. Srinivas charged Mr. Naidu with ignoring the advice of technical people and using Srisailam water to generate electricity which was then sold to other States to earn revenue. The water which was used for electricity generation could have ensured the second crop in the Krishna delta, he argued and promised that agriculture and irrigation would be the primary focus of the Congress Government. They would complete all pending irrigation projects, including Polavaram and Pulichintala.

Reacting sharply to the DRS opinion poll, which predicted a win for the TDP in the elections, Mr. Srinivas alleged that it was engineered by Mr. Naidu. It showed the "desperation'' of the TDP in the face of defeat, he said. He predicted that the Congress-led alliance would win over 210 seats in the Assembly and form the next Government.

Responding to a question about the possibility of forming a coalition with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, the CPI and the CPI(M), he said the Congress had an "open mind" on such a possibility. "There is nothing wrong in forming a coalition if the other parties are favourably disposed," he said.

Mr. Srinivas refused to respond to questions regarding the future Chief Minister, in the event of a Congress Government. His only reply to repeated questions on this matter was that choosing the Chief Minister was a prerogative of elected MLAs and the Congress high command.

He admitted that the Congress had failed to give sufficient representation to Backward Classes in seat distribution and said, "Much more should have been done." He promised to make up for this lack by giving to BCs, SCs, STs, women and minorities "proper representation" in the Government.

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