SECULAR TOUCH: TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu wearing a cap offered by a group of minority leaders at the Mahanadu in Tirupati on Monday.

Tirupati: Telugu Desam president N.Chandrababu Naidu will confabulate with like-minded parties next month on the need for evolving an alternative economic policy, as the reforms had failed to bridge the growing rich-poor disparities.

He told reporters on the second day of the Mahanadu here on Monday that even 16 years after economic reforms wealth was confined to a few sections and the problems faced by the poor had not diminished. Rural areas lacked basic amenities like schools and hospitals, and the condition of farmers and artisans had not improved.

Mr. Naidu said that the TDP would take the lead in organising a debate on the need for an alternative policy, which would seek to solve the problems of the poor, farmers, artisans and usher in an egalitarian society.

`Welfare budget down'

He expressed fears that the disparities could lead to "hatred and frustration" among the poor. It was the responsibility of every political party to strive for removing poverty. The TDP leader said reforms were yielding increased revenue to the Government and cited that in Andhra Pradesh alone more than Rs.10,000 crore was collected through income tax last year. But the welfare budget was reduced and the problem of unemployment remained. Asked if he was taking a pro-Left stand, Mr. Naidu he was "pro-realistic". He was happy that even the Left parties were thinking in the same vein. He supported the "Bhoo poratam", saying it was for a genuine cause.

Asked if his efforts to form a Third Front had slowed down following the rout of the Samajwadi Party in UP, he indicated that it would be taken up at the opportune time. He was discussing with five to six like-minded parties on the Presidential election.

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