The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Telugu Desam confident of bagging 75 per cent of seats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Telugu Desam confident of bagging 75 per cent of seats

Staff Reporter

Congress accused of indulging in undemocratic activities

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party on Sunday exuded confidence that it would bag at least 75 per cent of the seats in the municipal elections.

At a press conference, party general secretaries -- Kadiam Srihari, and E. Peddi Reddy -- said in its "desperate efforts" to win the elections, the Congress was indulging in "undemocratic activities." The "intimidation" of the rival candidates by ruling party leaders to make them withdraw from the contest in several municipalities was a clear indication of the Congress' fears.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was repeatedly saying that people were with him and the Congress so much so that senior party leaders were taking it easy when it came to campaigning, Mr. Srihari said. "It is quite possible for Congress leaders to believe that not campaigning is probably better than the damage that will be caused if they make an appearance among people," he added.

The ruling party knew it faced public ire, but its leaders were concealing it by making "tall claims."

`Saga of failures'

"What did they do that can be termed good for people?" Mr. Peddi Reddy asked. He recalled that the hike in fuel prices and those of essential commodities like onion were enough to make people turn against the Congress.

Mr. Srihari said people had seen what it would mean to elect a faction leader to power. The Congress was creating opportunities for corruption. While a majority of people already knew this, the TDP would step up its campaign to highlight these aspects. The TDP prepared five-year action plan for each of the 96 municipalities and 11 corporations going to the polls incorporating developmental activities that would be taken up if the TDP was elected.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh