HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has criticised the Government for selecting completely unqualified persons, including some Congressmen with criminal background, as model farmers for rendering advice to the farm sector.

Alleging that the Government was ignoring farmers and working for the welfare of the ruling partymen, CPI(M) legislature party leader Nomula Narsimhaiah on Tuesday offered to quit from active politics if the Government could prove that the selection of model farmers was based on the Jayati Ghosh Commission's recommendations.

"Will Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy follow suit if the charges are proved?" he asked.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Narsimhaiah lamented that the Government had terminated the services of the mandal parishad extension officers to serve the interests of the partymen at the expense of farmers.

Defending his party's land struggle, he said the CPI(M) took to the path of agitation after repeated requests for land reforms failed to yield results.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Ryotu Sangham on Tuesday demanded all-party committees at mandal level to select model farmers.

K. Ramakrishna, president, and R. Venkaiah, general secretary, said the selection process had become controversial since no norms were implemented for the ruling party's `partisan political gain'.

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