The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Chief Minister ridicules Naidu's concern over farmers' woes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Chief Minister ridicules Naidu's concern over farmers' woes

Special Correspondent

Declines comment on charge against Swaranjit Sen

MACHILIPATNAM: The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has derided the former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, for "shedding crocodile tears" on farmers' problems.

Dr. Reddy had an informal chat with reporters before he left for Hyderabad on Monday. Responding to a query on Mr. Naidu's charge that farmers' problems were totally ignored by the Government, the Chief Minister sarcastically remarked: "Chandrababu Naidu...talking about farmers' problems...It is like devil quoting scriptures. I don't want to say anything more than this."

Asked why was he not initiating against the Director-General of Police, Dr. Reddy said: "The case in which the DGP's wife is accused is now in court. Unless court gives its verdict, none can be called guilty." He was reluctant to add anything more on the subject.

`Not a poll gimmick'

Asked whether he was conducting "Rajiv nagara baata" with an eye on the coming municipal elections, the Chief Minister replied in the negative. He went on to add that it was his duty as Chief Minister to address the problems of people and his tours were part of discharging of his duties as a popularly elected leader. Earlier, the District Collector, K. Prabhakar Reddy, had the specially-decorated "Rythu chaitanya yatra" van flagged off by the Chief Minister. When Dr. Reddy said he was to formally launch the programme in Ranga Reddy district after an hour, the Collector said: "Please treat this as a pre-launch function," amidst laughter

by the Minister for Municipal Administration, Koneru Ranga Rao, the Machilipatnam MP, Badiga Ramakrishna, and the MLAs -- Perni Nani, Samineni Udaya Bhanu and Buragadda Vedavyas. Before he left for the helipad, TDP and CPI delegations called on Dr. Reddy the guesthouse. They submitted memoranda to the Chief Minister urging him to resolve the problems confronted by farmers.

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