The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Telangana issue churns TDP again

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Saturday, Jan 05, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Telangana issue churns TDP again

K. Venkateshwarlu Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party is in ferment again over the issue of Telangana with senior leaders differing on whether it was discussed within the party fora adequately.

It all began with senior party leader from Telangana, T. Devender Goud contending in Warangal on Thursday that the party was indeed alive to the issue and that it was discussed elaborately within the party.

At a press conference today, another senior leader, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu was asked if he subscribed to this view. Instead of a direct response, he said as far he was concerned it was not discussed in the party in the recent times.

Asked if that meant the party continued to favour integrated state, he said as long as the party did not review its known stand of “right decision at right time”, no change could be expected. It came up for discussion only in the party’s Mahanadu in 2006 and a resolution was adopted on similar lines. Since there was no discussion after that, it meant the stand taken at that time stood.

To another question, he said he would not say Telangana was not an issue. All he could say was that the party was keeping a watch on the developments and take “appropriate decision at appropriate time”.

He went on to contend that there was no difference of opinion within the party over the issue as everybody was bound by the party’s decision. Meanwhile if any leader spoke on the issue, it has to be taken as his individual view.

Mr. Ramakrishnudu found fault with the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh for showering praise on the YSR Government for its “so-called achievements” in irrigation, agriculture and welfare sectors. He wondered if the Prime Minister was aware of the fact that no new additional ayacut had been created from the irrigation projects taken up by the Government so far.

All it could achieve was encouraging unprecedented levels of corruption and fill the pockets of the contractors with public money as indicated by at least three reports by the Vigilance Commissioner, the Anti- Corruption Bureau and the Lok Ayukta.

Similar was the case with agriculture as reflected by the negative growth of the sector during the year 2006-07, he said. This apart, 5030 farmers have committed suicide during the last three and half years, despite the special package. The sector was in crisis with farmers not getting remunerative price for the crops they raised.

The per capita income in the State had gone down by three per cent while both per capita tax and debt liabilities have gone up with the Government debts touching Rs. one lakh crores. He also ridiculed Finance Minister, K. Rosaiah’s claim on employment rate and asked him why he had not spoken about unemployment rate which shot up to nine percent this year.

(Eom)

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