The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : BJP may snap ties with TDP for local body polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

BJP may snap ties with TDP for local body polls

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, OCT. 13. The Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to go it alone in the coming local body elections, snapping its alliance with the Telugu Desam Party.

An indication to this effect was made by the BJP floor leader in the Assembly, G. Kishan Reddy, at a press conference here on Wednesday.

``We have authorised our district units to take decisions on contesting on their own or in alliance with other parties/independents depending on the local factors," he said.

However, he did not rule out a change in the party stand at the eleventh hour in the larger interests of the party.

``We can't say. If the party leadership thinks that we have to explore other options, we may not okay the decision of the district units," he replied to a question on whether BJP would not have any alliance with the Telugu Desam Party.

Supports talks

Making it very clear that the BJP wanted the dialogue initiated by the Congress Government with the People's War and Janshakti naxalites to find a peaceful solution, he said that during the all-party meeting convened by the Government, the BJP delegation had conveyed its support to the initiative.

Mr. Reddy said it would be better if the talks were held in concert with the Union Government, as the naxalites had spread their activity to several States. "How do you expect ceasefire in one State and violence in other States," he asked.

Government flayed

Launching a scathing attack on the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy-led Government, he said the Chief Minister had no grip over the administration. "He suspends police officials for insubordination. The Principal Secretary for Health, Bhale Rao, was suspended recently for ignoring the Chief Minister's directive," he pointed out.

In the last last five to six months, Dr. Reddy had failed to live up to the expectations of the people on all fronts. Before coming to power, he used to shout from the rooftop that over 3,000 farmers had committed suicide during the TDP regime. "But let him tell how many people got the compensation package," he said.

Farmers' suicide

Mr. Kishan Reddy said newspaper reports say at least 1,500 farmers had committed suicide after Dr. Reddy took over as the Chief Minister. The so-called `Helpline' set up at various places had turned into `helplessline' as the spate of suicide continued. The decision on free power had also not helped farmers with the Government deciding to snap 4.5 lakh unauthorised connections. He also criticised the Government for not launching any drought relief measures and demanded all-party committees at the mandal level to monitor implementation of Food-for-work and other schemes at the grassroot level.

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