The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Inflation may spell trouble for Congress

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Inflation may spell trouble for Congress

S. Harpal Singh

Sad plight: Women washing clothes at the only water source of Dongregaon village on NH 7 in Gudihatnoor mandal. It also provides drinking water to cattle of the village.

ADILABAD: People’s anxiety on increased corruption in Government offices, rising prices and shortages as in the case of water is set to crystallise into a negative vote for the ruling party.

Voters of Adilabad Lok Sabha constituency seem to be vexed with the indifference displayed by Congress leaders regarding these issues and the official apathy towards solving even minor problems.

Villagers all along the NH 7 between Adilabad and Nirmal who spoke to The Hindu showed enough worry to arrive at the conclusion. “Under normal circumstances, nobody cares for us. Elections are the proper time for showing our anger on issues like corruption and price rise of essential commodities,” observed Vasant Rao of Jawaharnagar in Gudihatnoor mandal.

“It is only after the Congress came to power that we are witnessing lots of corruption and inflation,” added Ankush Bale of the same village.

M. Maruti, a mason at Gudihatnoor mandal headquarter village, lamented that allotment of Indiramma houses had in fact increased the problems of the poor.

“We thought we are lucky to get the low cost housing until the rising prices of steel, cement, brick and even sand shattered our dreams. Many of the beneficiaries who I know have run into debts because of the increase of the cost of the construction material. On top of it, officials demand bribes to release the bills in case a beneficiary reaches that stage,” he pointed out. At Dongregaon, Abdul Wadood Khan mentioned of the severe water shortage in the village. Women wash clothes on the Kolhari road where the only live borewell is located.

“Five of the six water schemes here have gone dysfunctional and officials ask for money to augment water supply,” he said.

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