The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : TDP accepts Congress challenge for debate on north Andhra

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Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP accepts Congress challenge for debate on north Andhra

Staff Reporter

‘Konathala and Botcha misleading people on Central varsity’

Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

TDP rural district president B. Satyanarayana Murthy explaining a point at a press conference in Visakhapatnam on Monday. Party urban president Zaheer Ahmad and MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao are also seen. —

VISAKHAPATNAM: The Telugu Desam Party on Monday accepted challenge thrown by Minister for Commercial Taxes Konathala Ramakrishna for an open debate on development made in North Andhra during the Congress regime vis-a-vis the TDP rule.

“We are ready for a debate and hope that the Congress leaders will not run away for a debate. We are also writing letters to Vizag Journalists Forum to fix a venue and time convenient to Congress leaders in consultation with them,” TDP MLA from Chodavaram Ganta Srinivasa Rao told reporters.

Volte face

He said along with TDP urban and rural district presidents Zaheer Ahmad and Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy that Mr. Ramakrishna and Minister for Housing Botsa Satyanarayana had misled the people of North Andhra on the Central University controversy after supporting its shifting to Kadapa.

The TDP leader said after fearing widespread protests over the shifting at the behest of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to his native district, the Government made a volte-face on the issue saying there was no plan to shift it to Kadapa.

The TDP sought clarification whether Minister for Education R. Chenga Reddy made an announcement during a Cabinet briefing that the university would be located at Kadapa instead of Visakhapatnam.

“Did Amalapuram MP and Congress leader Harsha Kumar make a threat to launch an agitation if the decision to shift to Kadapa was not dropped? Did K.C. Reddy, Chairman of AP State Council of Higher Education, say that for balanced development, Central University was being shifted to Kadapa?”

Mr. Rao wondered how Mr. Ramakrishna went on record after the shifting issue became public saying that the Opposition was making a fuss over a non-issue.

He claimed credit for rapid industrialisation of Visakhapatnam during the TDP rule by bringing projects like NTPC Simhadri Super Thermal Power Project.

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