The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Hold local body polls in two months: CPI

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Hold local body polls in two months: CPI

Staff Reporter

YSR asked to hold referendum on performance YSR asked to hold referendum

Government's performance rated `50-50'
State accused of toeing World Bank line

Prioritisation of Telangana projects sought

KARIMNAGAR: : The Communist Party of India national executive committee member, Puvvada Nageswara Rao, has asked the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, to hold elections to the local bodies in two months and hold a referendum on his one-year performance.

Speaking to newsmen here on Monday, Mr. Nageswara Rao demanded that the Government conduct direct elections to municipal and local bodies. He rated the performance of the Chief Minister `fifty-fifty.'

Probe sought

The Government in the initial stages announced waiver of Rs. 1,450 crores of power dues of farmers, free power to farmers, took up irrigation projects and distributed land to the landless poor. However, it "succumbed" to the World Bank diktats and continued the ad hoc system and had not regularised contract employees. He alleged that the Government failed to implement free power to single-bulb households.

The CPI leader demanded an enquiry by a sitting High Court Judge into the Penukonda firing. He found fault with the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, and police officials for "threatening" the firing victims when the Government had already ordered magisterial probe.He demanded that the Government take measures to depute Central election observers and neutral persons in Penukonda for the smooth conduct of the bypoll. Hailing the Government for launching `Jalayagnam' with the aim of completing pending irrigation projects, he demanded that the Government take up projects in Telangana region on a priority basis. On the illegal construction of mini projects by Maharashtra on the Godavari that could pose a threat to farmers of Telangana region, he demanded that the State Government take up the issue with the Centre.

The CPI would submit its report to the UPA sub-committee on Telangana in a day or two. The party decision would definitely benefit people of Telangana, he added. On the issuance of new ration cards, he said the parameters fixed by the Government went against the interests of the common man.

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