The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : YSR rules out early elections

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 03, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

YSR rules out early elections

Special Correspondent

“Governments will complete full term”

“Collectors must ensure benefits of schemes reach people”
Opposition scared of taking on the Congress, he claims

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has asked district Collectors to prepare the ground for cashing in on the goodwill for him to face the next elections by ensuring that the intended benefits of various schemes launched by his government reached the targeted sections.

Addressing a two-day conference of district Collectors at Jubilee Hall here on Wednesday to take stock of the situation on different fronts and fix responsibilities afresh to fill the gaps, Dr. Reddy, however, indicated that the Congress governments at the Centre and in the State would complete their full term and that the general elections would be held only after March.

Referring to frequent reports in the media about mid-term polls, he firmly said “there will be no elections before March [2009]” but asked Collectors to ensure that welfare schemes such as Indiramma, pensions and Rajiv Arogyasri were implemented in their letter and spirit by October-end. The response to these schemes was so overwhelming that there was no anti-incumbency feeling in the State and Opposition parties were “scared” of taking on the Congress in the elections.

As they were left with no opportunity to criticise the government, they were forced to search for political alignments, he said.

Heavy security was provided around Jubilee Hall in light of the Maoist attack at Chitrakonda. The entire Cabinet was in attendance, besides Chief Secretary P. Ramakantha Reddy and DGP S. S. P. Yadav. The Chief Minister drew a parallel between his government and that of his predecessor, N. Chandrababu Naidu. He described the previous dispensation as a dark rule marked by drought for seven years, low economic growth and deprivation of different sections, especially farmers who resorted to suicide.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh